A. Sluzewska et al., CHANGES IN ACUTE-PHASE PROTEINS DURING LITHIUM POTENTIATION OF ANTIDEPRESSANTS IN REFRACTORY DEPRESSION, Neuropsychobiology, 35(3), 1997, pp. 123-127
This study was performed on 32 patients with refractory depression in
whom lithium was added to antidepressant treatment in order to potenti
ate the therapeutic effect, and in 20 healthy controls. Plasma concent
ration of three acute-phase proteins (APPs): C-reactive protein, alpha
-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin (ACT) as well
as microheterogeneity of AGP and ACT were measured, before and after 4
weeks of lithium addition to antidepressants. Before Li addition, all
patients studied had elevated values of APPs, which suggested the exi
stence of immunological activation. A significant decrease in plasma l
evels of all APPs and the decrease of glycosylation values of AGP and
ACT was observed after Li potentiation. A favorable clinical effect of
lithium potentiation after 4 weeks was found in 24 patients (75%). No
nresponders to Li potentiation differed from responsers by their immun
ological indices prior to Li addition. They had higher values of react
ivity coefficients, which means more inflammatory patterns.