The effects of antidepressants on the thyroid axis in depression.
Thirty-nine patients with major depression were studied to determine the differential effects of desipramine (DMI) and fluoxetine (FLU) on thyroid hormones. Twenty-six percent showed some abnormality in baseline thyroid hormone levels. There were no demonstrable differences for any of the thyroid indices from baseline to the 3- or 6-week samples for the total group or for either drug by repeated measures analysis of variance. There was a significant group by time interaction for total thyroxine (TT4) between the drug treatment groups, which was caused by a small but significant increase in TT4 in the DMI sample. Correlations were performed between the change in hormones over the 6 week period and treatment response. There was a significant association between a decline in triiodothyronine (T3) levels and response to FLU but not DMI. The implications of these findings for the pathophysiology of depression and antidepressant drug mechanisms are discussed.
Shelton
R C
RC
Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN.
Winn
S
S
Ekhatore
N
N
Loosen
P T
PT
D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003891:Desipramine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D005473:Fluoxetine; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013974:Thyroxine; D003891:Desipramine