title: Vascular endothelial growth factor: Potential predictor of treatment response in major depression.
abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate baseline plasma VEGF levels as a potential predictor of response to antidepressant pharmacotherapy. The study also sought to determine whether baseline plasma VEGF would be useful in predicting treatment outcome when two pharmacodynamically diverse agents with established antidepressant efficacy, escitalopram and quetiapine, were administered monotherapeutically to MDD patients.
  
  
  
  Two groups of qualifying MDD subjects were enrolled. One group was treated with escitalopram and the other with quetiapine. Plasma concentrations of VEGF were measured using Randox Technologies at baseline, and at weeks 8 and 12 of treatment.
  
  
  
  We stratified the MDD patients into those who remitted and those who failed to respond. Mean baseline VEGF for the remitters and non-responders was 9.61  and 5.40 pg/ml, respectively (P < 0.0005). Using optimal data analysis a cut score of 7.49 pg/ml for baseline plasma VEGF distinguished remitters from non-responders with a 63% overall accuracy. The remission rate was comparable for both drugs (73 and 81% for quetiapine and escitalopram, respectively). VEGF levels did not significantly change following antidepressant treatment with either escitalopram or quetiapine when measured at 8 and 12 weeks; this result held true for both remitters and non-responders.
  
  
  
  Our results suggest that VEGF may predict response to antidepressant treatment and may ultimately prove to be a potential biomarker that can be measured with a routine blood draw at the point of service.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience , Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine , Chicago , IL , USA.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clark-Raymond
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience , Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine , Chicago , IL , USA.
authors.forename: Edwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meresh
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pathology , Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine , Chicago , IL , USA.
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hoppensteadt
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pathology , Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine , Chicago , IL , USA.
authors.forename: Jawed
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fareed
authors.affiliation: c Department of Public Health Sciences , Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine , Chicago , IL , USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sinacore
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience , Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine , Chicago , IL , USA.
authors.forename: Brittany
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Garlenski
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience , Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine , Chicago , IL , USA.
authors.forename: Angelos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Halaris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015283:Citalopram / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012074:Remission Induction; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D015283:Citalopram; D000069348:Quetiapine Fumarate
keywords: Neurotrophins; escitalopram; major depression; quetiapine; vascular endothelial growth factor