WEIGHT-GAIN IN DEPRESSION REMITTED WITH ANTIDEPRESSANTS - PHARMACOLOGICAL OR RECOVERY EFFECT

Background: Depression remission is often associated with weight gain. It is not clear if weight gain is caused by a pharmacological effect of antidepressants, or if instead it is an effect of recovery from dep ression. The aim of this study was to try to clarify this point. Metho ds: One hundred consecutive unipolar/bipolar remitted depressed privat e practice outpatients (DSM-IV diagnoses with structured interview) we re interviewed with structured questions about weight changes occurrin g during depression and remission. Comparisons were made between remit ted weight gainers and remitted nonweight gainers. Results: Seventy-tw o percent of patients showed weight gain when they remitted from depre ssion, in comparison with their weight when they were depressed. No si gnificant differences were found in age, gender, diagnoses, duration o f remission, use of tricyclics, tricyclic-SSRI combination, benzodiaze pines, neuroleptics, and mood stabilizers in remitted weight gainers v ersus nonweight gainers. SSRIs were significantly more used in remitte d nonweight gainers. Significantly more weight loss and less weight ga in when depressed were found in remitted weight gainers versus nonweig ht gainers. Conclusions: These findings suggest that weight gain in re mitted depressed patients may not necessarily be a pharmacological eff ect of antidepressants, but may rather be an effect, at least in part, of recovery from depression.