Interleukin-1 beta production in dysthymia before and after pharmacotherapy

Background: Like major depression, dysthymia has been associated with eleva ted production of interleukin-1 (IL-1 beta) in mitogen-stimulated lymphocyt es, In the present investigation, we assessed whether the elevated IL-I bet a production in dysthymic patients would normalize following treatment with sertraline. Methods: The production of IL-I beta was determined in dysthymic patients a nd in nondepressed control subjects. Patients then received 12 weeks of dos es of either sertraline or placebo in a double-blind trial, after which cyt okine production was again determined Results: Basal IL-I beta was elevated in dysthymic patients relative to con trol subjects. Cytokine production was modestly correlated with the severit y of symptoms and with the age of illness onset. Relative to placebo treatm ent, sertraline attenuated the symptoms of depression; however, this was no t accompanied by normalization of IL-1 beta production. Conclusions: While dysthymia is associated with elevated IL-I beta producti on, the failure for the cytokine to normalize following symptom alleviation suggests that either the IL-I beta may be a trait marker of the illness, o r that more sustained treatment is necessary to reduce cytokine production. Given the neuroendocrine and central neurochemical consequences of exogeno usly administered IL-1 beta, the possibility ought to be explored that incr eased IL-I beta production may play a role in the pathophysiology of dysthy mia. Biol Psychiatry 1999;46:1649-1655 (C) 1999 Society of Biological Psych iatry.