Interleukin-1beta serum levels is increased in antidepressant-free elderly depressed patients.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the serum levels of interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta) in elderly depressed patients in comparison with nondepressed healthy elderly subjects.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Tertiary memory clinic.


METHODS
Twenty-three antidepressant-free elderly depressed patients and 44 nondepressed healthy elderly comparison group were enrolled to this study.


METHODS
Serum IL-1beta levels were determined with highly sensitive colorimetric sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Severity of the depressive episode was determined by scores on the Hamilton Depression Scale-21 item and cognitive performance by the scores on the Cambridge Cognition Examination, Mini Mental State Examination clock drawing test, and verbal fluency.


RESULTS
IL-1beta serum levels were increased in elderly patients versus nondepressed elderly (t = 2.21, df = 65, p = 0.04). After categorizing elderly depressed subjects into late onset (LOD) versus early onset (EOD), patients with EOD had the highest IL-1beta levels, when compared with nondepressed elderly patients and patients with LOD in analysis of variance (F = 4.9, df = 2, 64, p <0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Late-life depression is associated with higher IL-1beta levels suggesting that increased proinflammatory state may play a role in the physiopathology of depression in the elderly. The authors further show that this might be more prominent in those patients with EOD geriatric depression.
Diniz
Breno Satler
BS
Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Neuroscience-LIM 27, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Teixeira
Antonio Lucio
AL
Talib
Leda
L
Gattaz
Wagner Farid
WF
Forlenza
Orestes Vicente
OV
D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D003071:Cognition; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D053583:Interleukin-1beta