title: Effect of agomelatine treatment on C-reactive protein levels in patients with major depressive disorder: an exploratory study in "real-world," everyday clinical practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Agomelatine is a newer antidepressant but, to date, no studies have been carried out investigating its effects on C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in major depressive disorder (MDD) before and after treatment. The present study aimed (i) to investigate the effects of agomelatine treatment on CRP levels in a sample of patients with MDD and (ii) to investigate if CRP variations were correlated with clinical improvement in such patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  30 adult outpatients (12 males, 18 females) with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) diagnosis of MDD were recruited in "real-world," everyday clinical practice and treated with a flexible dose of agomelatine for 12 weeks. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) were used to evaluate depressive symptoms and anhedonia, respectively. Moreover, serum CRP was measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Agomelatine was effective in the treatment of MDD, with a significant reduction in HAM-D and SHAPS scores from baseline to endpoint. CRP levels were reduced in the whole sample, with remitters showing a significant difference in CRP levels after 12 weeks of agomelatine. A multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis showed that higher CRP level variation was associated with higher baseline HAM-D scores, controlling for age, gender, smoking, BMI, and agomelatine dose.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Agomelatine's antidepressant properties were associated with a reduction in circulating CRP levels in MDD patients who achieved remission after 12 weeks of treatment. Moreover, more prominent CRP level variation was associated with more severe depressive symptoms at baseline.
authors.affiliation: 1National Health Service,Department of Mental Health,Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment,Hospital "G. Mazzini",Teramo,Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Berardis
authors.affiliation: 3New York Psychiatric Institute,Columbia University,New York,New York,USA.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fornaro
authors.affiliation: 4Polyedra,Teramo,Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Orsolini
authors.affiliation: 7Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry and Psychopharmacotherapeutics,Section of Psychiatry,Department of Neuroscience,University School of Medicine "Federico II",Naples,Italy.
authors.forename: Felice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iasevoli
authors.affiliation: 7Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry and Psychopharmacotherapeutics,Section of Psychiatry,Department of Neuroscience,University School of Medicine "Federico II",Naples,Italy.
authors.forename: Carmine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tomasetti
authors.affiliation: 7Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry and Psychopharmacotherapeutics,Section of Psychiatry,Department of Neuroscience,University School of Medicine "Federico II",Naples,Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de Bartolomeis
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Neurosciences and Imaging,Chair of Psychiatry,University "G. D'Annunzio",Chieti,Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Serroni
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Neurosciences and Imaging,Chair of Psychiatry,University "G. D'Annunzio",Chieti,Italy.
authors.forename: Ida
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Lauretis
authors.affiliation: 4Polyedra,Teramo,Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Girinelli
authors.affiliation: 8Department of Health Science,University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila,Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazza
authors.affiliation: 4Polyedra,Teramo,Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valchera
authors.affiliation: 9National Health Service,Department of Mental Health,Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment,Hospital "Madonna Del Soccorso",San Benedetto del Tronto,Ascoli Piceno,Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carano
authors.affiliation: 1National Health Service,Department of Mental Health,Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment,Hospital "G. Mazzini",Teramo,Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vellante
authors.affiliation: 1National Health Service,Department of Mental Health,Psychiatric Service of Diagnosis and Treatment,Hospital "G. Mazzini",Teramo,Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Matarazzo
authors.affiliation: 10Hermanas Hospitalarias,FoRiPsi,Department of Clinical Neurosciences,Villa San Benedetto Menni,Albese con Cassano,Como,Italy.
authors.forename: Giampaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perna
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Neurosciences and Imaging,Chair of Psychiatry,University "G. D'Annunzio",Chieti,Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martinotti
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Neurosciences and Imaging,Chair of Psychiatry,University "G. D'Annunzio",Chieti,Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Giannantonio
mesh_terms: D000081:Acetamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D059445:Anhedonia; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult; D009281:Naphthalenes
chemical_list: D000081:Acetamides; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; C084711:agomelatine; D009281:Naphthalenes
keywords: Agomelatine; C-reactive protein; anhedonia; inflammation; major depressive disorder; remission; response