title: Effect of escitalopram on white blood cells in patients with major depression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Immunological dysfunctions in the course of depression are recently intensively investigated. Pharmacotherapy of depression is speculated to affect immune response. In this study, our objective was to investigate whether escitalopram treatment would affect white blood cells in patients with major depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen patients (11 women and 4 men), meeting the criteria for a current episode of major depressive disorder, were participated. White blood cell (WBC), neutrophil (NEUT), lymphocyte (LYMPH), monocyte (MONO), eosinophyl (EO), and basophyl (BASO) levels were measured at the entry to the study. After 8 weeks of open-label treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor escitalopram (10-20 mg/d), the patients were readmitted and the measurements were repeated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of the study, LYMPH was found to be significantly decreased compared to the baseline value after 8 weeks treatment with escitalopram (p < 0.001). There was not a significant change in WBC, NEUT, MONO, EO, and BASO parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study has shown that escitalopram increased LYMPH in patients with major depression according to these results, the possible treatment of depression with escitalopram must be carried out with caution, in patients with immunological disturbances.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Escitalopram; Major depression; White blood cells.
authors.affiliation: Duzce University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Duzce, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Canan
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ataoglu