6-Sulfatoxymelatonin as a predictor of clinical outcome in depressive patients

• Published in: Human psychopharmacology Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. 252 - 257
• Main Authors: Hidalgo, Maria Paz Loayza, Caumo, Wolnei, Dantas, Giovana, Franco, Daiane Gil, da Silva Torres, Iraci Lucena, Pezzi, Julio, Elisabetsky, Elaine, Detanico, Bernardo Carraro, Piato, Ângelo, Markus, Regina P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.04.2011
• Subjects: 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s); Adolescent; Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Adult; Antidepressants; Biomarkers - urine; Depression; Depressive Disorder - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder - drug therapy; Depressive Disorder - urine; Excretion; Female; Humans; Melatonin; Melatonin - analogs & derivatives; Melatonin - urine; Middle Aged; Norepinephrine; Nortriptyline - therapeutic use; Predictive Value of Tests; Treatment Outcome; tricyclic antidepressant; Tricyclic antidepressants; Urine; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0885-6222; 1099-1077; 1099-1077
• DOI: 10.1002/hup.1204

Objectives This study established the value of the 6‐sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) urine concentration as a predictor of the therapeutic response to noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors in depressive patients. Methods Twenty‐two women aged 18–60 years were selected. Depressive symptoms were assessed by using the Hamilton Depression Scale. Urine samples were collected at 0600–1200 h, 1200–1800 h, 1800–2400 h, and 2400–0600 h intervals, 1 day before and 1 day after starting on the nortriptyline treatment. Urine aMT6s concentration was analyzed by a one‐way analysis of variance/Bonferroni test. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between depressive symptoms after 2 weeks of antidepressant treatment and the increase in aMT6s urine concentration. Results Higher and lower size effect groups were compared by independent Student's t‐tests. At baseline, the 2400‐ to 0600‐h interval differed from all other intervals presenting a significantly higher aMT6s urine concentration. A significant difference in aMT6s urine concentrations was found 1 day after treatment in all four intervals. Higher size effect group had lower levels of depressive symptoms 2 weeks after the treatment. A positive correlation between depressive symptoms and the delta of aMT6s in the 2400–06 00h interval was observed. Conclusion Our results reinforce the hypothesis that aMT6s excretion is a predictor of clinical outcome in depression, especially in regard to noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.