Antidepressant treatment and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate: different effects of amitriptyline and paroxetine.
BACKGROUND
There is evidence for activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal system in depressed patients to be associated with increased secretion of adrenal androgens. However, there is only limited information about the effect of different classes of antidepressants on the course of adrenal androgens.


METHODS
Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) serum concentrations were measured in 80 patients being treated with amitriptyline (AMI) or paroxetine (PAROX) for a period of 35 days.


RESULTS
Using analysis of variance with repeated measures, we found a significant effect of treatment upon DHEA-S serum concentrations that declined more in AMI-treated (before vs. after: 1.89+/-1.16 vs. 1.46 +/- 0.96 mg/l), compared to PAROX-treated patients (1.56+/-1.09 vs. 1.50+/-1.04 mg/l).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results show changes in DHEA-S serum concentrations during antidepressant treatment to depend on medication.
Deuschle
Michael
M
Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany. deuschle@as200.zi-mannheim.de
Luppa
Peter
P
Gilles
Maria
M
Hamann
Bettina
B
Heuser
Isabella
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000494:pharmacology*
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D000639:Amitriptyline; D017374:Paroxetine; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate