Increased serum levels of sortilin-derived propeptide after electroconvulsive therapy in treatment-resistant depressed patients

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic and clinical characteristics of control and TRD patient groups as well as responders and nonresponders subgroups

Characteristics	Controls (N=49)	Total (N=45)	NRa (N=10)	Ra (N=35)	P-value controls vs TRD
Age (years), mean (SD)	45.1 (12.1)	54.2 (14.0)	57.8 (11.8)	53.2 (14.6)	0.0001
Gender (%, F)	65.3	71.1	80.0	68.6
Education (years), mean (SD)	13.8 (5.1)	7.9 (3.3)	8.1 (2.9)	7.9 (3.4)	<0.0001
BMI (body mass index)	23.6 (3.1)	26.6 (5.1)	26.3 (5.2)	26.7 (5.2)	0.0001
Smokers (%)	16.3	35.6	40.0	34.3
Age of onset (years), mean (SD)		38.3 (14.7)	36.9 (13.9)	38.7 (15.1)
MADRS (%) at T0, mean (SD)		33.7 (6.4)	30.8 (6.7)	34.5 (6.2)
ΔMADRS (%) at T2, mean (SD)		−66.7 (33.4)	−12.2 (20.2)	−82.2 (14.6)
Recurrent MDD (%)		93.3	100.0	91.4
Severe vs moderate MDD (%)		100.0	100.0	100.0
Psychotic symptoms (%)		73.3	70.0	74.3
Comorbidity with personality disorders (%)		24.4	30.0	22.9
Comorbidity with anxiety disorders (%)		22.2	40.0	17.1
Comorbidity with alcohol abuse (%)		0.0	0.0	0.0
Administration of antipsychoticsb (%)		77.8	80.0	77.1
Administration of SSRIsb (%)		60.0	40.0	65.7
Administration of SNRIsb (%)		26.7	20.0	28.6
Administration of TCAsb (%)		42.2	50.0	40.0
Administration of NaSSAsb (%)		28.9	20.0	31.4
Administration of mood stabilizersb (%)		8.9	0.0	11.4

Notes:

a Response evaluated at 1 month after the electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Patients were defined as responders if the percentage of MADRS reduction at T2 was >50%.

b The total number could exceed the number of subjects due to the presence of multiple drugs administration.

Abbreviations: R, responders; NR, nonresponders; SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; SNRIs, serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors; TCAs, tricyclic antidepressants; NaSSAs, noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressants; MDD, major depressive disorder; MADRS, Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale; TRD, treatment-resistant depression; T0, before ECT; T2, 1 month after ECT; ECT, electroconvulsive therapy.

Figure 1 PE concentrations in sera from healthy controls and TRD patients. (A) PE concentrations in sera from healthy controls and TRD patients before (T0) or 1 day (T1) or 1 month (T2) after ECT. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann–Whitney U test between patients (TRD T0, n=45) and controls (n=49) and using Wilcoxon signed rank test between untreated (T0) and ECT-treated (T1 and T2) TRD. **P<0.01. (B) PE concentrations in sera from responders (R) and nonresponder (NR) TRD patients before (T0) and 1 month after ECT. **P<0.01.

Abbreviations: TRD, treatment-resistant depression; PE, propeptide; ECT, electroconvulsive therapy; ns, nonsignificant.

Figure 2 MADRS score evaluation of TRD patients. (A) Mean±SD of MADRS for TRD patients before (T0) or 1 day (T1) or 1 month (T2) after ECT. ***P<0.001. (B) A significant correlation was obtained between the concentration of PE (at T0 in blue and T2 in red) and their corresponding MADRS scores (r=−0.235, P=0.03).

Abbreviations: TRD, treatment-resistant depression; MADRS, Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale; ns, nonsignificant; PE, propeptide.