TY - JOUR
T1 - A randomized trial of citalopram versus placebo in outpatients with asthma and major depressive disorder
T2 - A proof of concept study
AU - Brown, E. Sherwood
AU - Vigil, Luis
AU - Khan, David A.
AU - Liggin, Joshua D M
AU - Carmody, Thomas J.
AU - Rush, A. John
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was funded by National Institute of Health grant MH63133 to ESB. Study medication was provided by Forest Laboratories.
PY - 2005/12/1
Y1 - 2005/12/1
N2 - Background: The prevalence of asthma has increased in recent years and depression is common in this population. Minimal data are available on the treatment of depressed asthma patients. Methods: Ninety adults with asthma and current major depressive disorder were randomized to receive citalopram or placebo for 12 weeks. At each visit, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology - Self-Report, Asthma Control Questionnaire, and Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire were administered, and oral corticosteroid use assessed. Results: In the evaluable sample (n = 82), the primary outcome, a random regression analysis of HRSD scores, revealed no significant between-group differences. Bonferroni corrected secondary outcomes revealed HRSD scores decreased significantly in both groups with a significantly greater decrease in the citalopram group at week 6. Changes in asthma symptoms were similar between groups. The groups had similar rates of oral corticosteroid use at baseline, but the citalopram group had less corticosteroid use during the study. Changes in asthma symptom severity correlated with changes in depressive symptom severity. Conclusions: A reduction in depressive symptoms was associated with improvement in asthma. Corticosteroid use, an important measure of severe asthma exacerbations, was lower in the citalopram group. Larger clinical trials in this population are warranted.
AB - Background: The prevalence of asthma has increased in recent years and depression is common in this population. Minimal data are available on the treatment of depressed asthma patients. Methods: Ninety adults with asthma and current major depressive disorder were randomized to receive citalopram or placebo for 12 weeks. At each visit, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology - Self-Report, Asthma Control Questionnaire, and Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire were administered, and oral corticosteroid use assessed. Results: In the evaluable sample (n = 82), the primary outcome, a random regression analysis of HRSD scores, revealed no significant between-group differences. Bonferroni corrected secondary outcomes revealed HRSD scores decreased significantly in both groups with a significantly greater decrease in the citalopram group at week 6. Changes in asthma symptoms were similar between groups. The groups had similar rates of oral corticosteroid use at baseline, but the citalopram group had less corticosteroid use during the study. Changes in asthma symptom severity correlated with changes in depressive symptom severity. Conclusions: A reduction in depressive symptoms was associated with improvement in asthma. Corticosteroid use, an important measure of severe asthma exacerbations, was lower in the citalopram group. Larger clinical trials in this population are warranted.
KW - Asthma
KW - Citalopram
KW - Major depressive disorder
KW - Randomized controlled trial
KW - Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=29044438207&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=29044438207&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.04.030
DO - 10.1016/j.biopsych.2005.04.030
M3 - Article
C2 - 15993860
AN - SCOPUS:29044438207
SN - 0006-3223
VL - 58
SP - 865
EP - 870
JO - Biological Psychiatry
JF - Biological Psychiatry
IS - 11
ER -