title: Changes in interleukin-6 levels during electroconvulsive therapy may reflect the therapeutic response in major depression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been reported to be elevated in major depressive disorder (MDD) but decreased by antidepressive medication. IL-6 levels are markedly elevated both after epileptic seizures and single electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) session, but long-term changes in IL-6 levels after ECT have not been studied. The correlation between immediate and long-term changes in proinflammatory cytokines and outcome after ECT was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients suffering from MDD participated in the study. IL-6, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) levels were examined at baseline and at 2 and 4 h after the first, fifth and the last ECT sessions. The response to ECT was measured with Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  ECT repeatedly caused an increase in IL-6 levels at the 4-h time point. However, the baseline IL-6 levels decreased among remitters, but not among non-remitters, towards the end of ECT. IL-1β levels were mostly below detectable level, and IL-1Ra levels did not change during and after ECT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ECT has distinct acute and long-term effects on IL-6 levels. Interestingly, the long-term effect of ECT on IL-6 seems to correlate with outcome, providing further evidence of the mechanism of action of ECT and supporting the inflammation theory in MDD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Järventausta
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.|School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sorri
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.|Department of Psychiatry, Seinäjoki Hospital District, Seinäjoki, Finland.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kampman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Björkqvist
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tuohimaa
authors.affiliation: The Immunopharmacology Research Group, University of Tampere School of Medicine and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hämäläinen
authors.affiliation: The Immunopharmacology Research Group, University of Tampere School of Medicine and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moilanen
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.|School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leinonen
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.|Department of Neurosciences and Rehabilitation, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peltola
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences and Rehabilitation, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lehtimäki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: C508585:IL1B protein, human; C507763:IL1RN protein, human; C508600:IL6 protein, human; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6
keywords: cytokine; electroconvulsive therapy; major depressive disorder; seizure