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Sertraline treatment decreased the serum levels of interleukin-6 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients with depression; a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

Bone Marrow Transplantation volume 55, pages 830–832 (2020)Cite this article

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Psychological disorders (e.g., depression and anxiety) are associated with post-HSCT complications through affecting the inflammation process [1]. The elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines in depressed adults compared with healthy individuals and the effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in reduction of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-12 and increase of IL-4 and IL-10 in both healthy individuals [2], and patients with major depression in different clinical settings indicate the reciprocal relationship between inflammation and depression [3, 4]. The aim of the present clinical trial is to investigate the probable effects of sertraline, a proven effective SSRI with favorable safety, and drug interaction profile on IL-6, IL-10, and hs-CRP in depressed HSCT recipients.

A simple randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, registered in Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT 201310083210N4), was performed in the Taleghani Hospital, Tehran, Iran. The study received Hospital Ethics Committee approval and all patients were given informed consent forms. Sample size calculation was based on α = 0.05, 80% power (1-β = 0.8) and 20% possible losses to follow-up.

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Acknowledgements

Authors would like to thank all patients who participated in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Tehran, Iran

    Maria Tavakoli Ardakani

  2. Taleghani Bone Marrow Transplantation Center, Taleghani Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Maria Tavakoli Ardakani, Mahshid Mehdizadeh & Abbas Hajifathali

  3. Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Hamadan, Iran

    Maryam Mehrpooya

  4. Pediatric Congenital Hematologic Disorders Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Mahshid Mehdizadeh

  5. Department of Psychiatry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Narges Beiraghi

  6. Hematopoietic Stem Cell Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Abbas Hajifathali & Mohammad Hossein Kazemi

  7. Student Research Committee, Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Mohammad Hossein Kazemi

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  1. Maria Tavakoli Ardakani
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Correspondence to Mahshid Mehdizadeh.

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Tavakoli Ardakani, M., Mehrpooya, M., Mehdizadeh, M. et al. Sertraline treatment decreased the serum levels of interleukin-6 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients with depression; a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Bone Marrow Transplant 55, 830–832 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41409-019-0623-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41409-019-0623-0

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