Celecoxib for the Treatment of Mild-To-Moderate Depression Due to Acute Brucellosis: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Trial Publisher Pubmed



Jafari S¹ ; Ashrafizadeh SG¹ ; Zeinoddini A² ; Rasoulinejad M¹ ; Entezari P² ; Seddighi S³ ; Akhondzadeh S² Show Affiliations
Source: Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics Published:2015

Abstract

Summary What is known and objective Depression is a debilitating complication of brucellosis and how best to treat this is a matter of debate. Inflammatory processes are involved in the pathogenesis of both brucellosis and depression. Therefore, we hypothesized that celecoxib could be beneficial for the treatment of depression due to brucellosis. Methods Forty outpatients with depression due to brucellosis with a Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score (HDRS) <19 participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and underwent 8 weeks of treatment with either celecoxib (200 mg bid) or placebo as an adjunctive to antibiotic therapy. Patients were evaluated using HDRS at baseline and weeks 4 and 8. Result and discussion Repeated-measures analysis demonstrated significant effect for time × treatment interaction on the HDRS score [F (1·43, 57·41) = 37·22, P < 0·001]. Significantly greater response to treatment occurred in the celecoxib group than in the placebo group at the study end [10 patients (50%) vs. no patient (0%), respectively, P < 0·001]. No serious adverse event was observed. What is new and conclusion Celecoxib is a safe and effective treatment for depression due to brucellosis when compared with placebo. This study shows celecoxib is a safe and effective modality for brucellosis-induced depression when compared with placebo. In particular, celecoxib is associated with significantly faster improvement in depressive symptoms which makes this drug a potentially useful augmentative strategy in patients with depression due to brucellosis. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.