No suitable treatment has been identified to reverse and ideally prevent, the cardiovascular disease risk associated with depression and anxiety. The purpose of this study is to determine if quetiapine treatment of depression can reverse the signs of arterial stiffening that often occurs in depression and anxiety, and which are believed to be risk factors for future heart disease.
The evidence that depressive and anxiety disorders confer a high relative risk (RR) for cardiovascular disease (CVD) development is clear and compelling. A cadre of inflammation, platelet activation and other biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction strongly suggest multiple and possibly interrelated mechanisms underlying this co-morbidity. Early detection of the vulnerability to develop CVD has become an urgent health issue. However, detection alone of vulnerability without proper therapeutic intervention aimed at reversing it, is merely of scientific interest. The evidence to date that antidepressant drugs, while highly efficacious in restoring euthymia, may not normalize the biomarkers of CVD vulnerability. Hence, there is a need to identify other pharmacologic interventions for depression. Quetiapine, due to its unique molecular structure and unique pharmacological profile, belongs to none of the known classes of antidepressants. However, quetiapine clearly has antidepressant and anti-anxiety efficacies. Now, we propose to explore whether quetiapine can reverse those pathophysiological changes occurring in mixed depression/anxiety that have been linked causally to the development of CVD. Accordingly, the primary purpose of this study is to compare C-Reactive Protein between the treatment and healthy control groups at 12 weeks post treatment.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
91
Quetiapine-XR (Seroquel-XR) 50-300mg daily for 12 weeks.
Loyola University Health System
Maywood, Illinois, United States
C-Reactive Protein at 12 Weeks
To compare C-Reactive Protein between the treatment and healthy control groups at 12 weeks post treatment.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Change in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression With Seven Items (HAM-D-7)
The seven item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-7) is an objective assessment of depression administered by a trained rater. This version allows scores to range from 0 to 22, where higher scores indicate worsening mood.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression With 17 Items (HAM-D-17)
The 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17) is an objective assessment of depression administered by a trained rater. This version allows scores to range from 0 to 52, where higher scores indicate worsening mood.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression With 21 Items (HAMD-21)
The 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-21) is an objective assessment of depression administered by a trained rater. This version allows scores to range from 0 to 52, where higher scores indicate worsening mood.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A)
The 14-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A) is an objective assessment of anxiety administered by a trained rater. This version allows scores to range from 0 to 56, where higher scores indicate worsening anxiety.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
The 21-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is a subjective self-report assessment of depression. This version allows scores to range from 0 to 63, where higher scores indicate worsening mood.
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Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in 14-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14)
The 14-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) is a subjective self-report assessment of stress. Each item is rated on a five point frequency scale ranging from 0 = never experiencing the stress symptom to 4 = Very often experiencing the stress symptom. Scores range from 0 to 56, where higher scores indicate higher stress.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks