Depression in patients with
mastocytosis is often reported but its prevalence and characteristics are not precisely described. In addition, the impact of
therapies targeting mast cells proliferation, differentiation and degranulation on psychic symptoms of depression have never been investigated. Our objective was to determine the prevalence and to describe features of depression in a large cohort of
mastocytosis patients (nā=ā288) and to investigate the therapeutic impact of the
protein kinase inhibitor masitinib in depression symptoms. The description of depression was based on the analysis of a database with Hamilton scores using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Efficacy of
masitinib therapy was evaluated using non parametric Wilcoxon test for paired data within a three months period (nā=ā35). Our results show that patients with indolent
mastocytosis present an elevated prevalence of depression (64%). Depression was moderate in 56% but severe in 8% of cases. Core symptoms (such as psychic anxiety, depressed mood, work and interests) characterized depression in
mastocytosis patients.
Masitinib therapy was associated with significant improvement (67% of the cases) of overall depression, with 75% of recovery cases. Global Quality of Life slightly improved after
masitinib therapy and did not predicted depression improvement. In conclusion, depression is very frequent in
mastocytosis patients and
masitinib therapy is associated with the reduction its psychic experiences. We conclude that depression in
mastocytosis may originate from processes related to mast cells activation.
Masitinib could therefore be a useful treatment for
mastocytosis patients with depression and anxiety symptoms.