Association between serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region and escitalopram antidepressant treatment response in Korean patients with major depressive disorder.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Various studies have shown that short (s)/long (l) polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) might predict treatment outcome to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between 5-HTTLPR and clinical response to escitalopram treatment in Korean subjects with major depressive disorder.

METHODS:

One hundred and fifteen Korean patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder were evaluated during 8 weeks of escitalopram treatment at a dose of 5-20 mg/day. Patients were genotyped for 5-HTTLPR using polymerase chain reaction. Clinical symptoms were evaluated by the 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating (HAMD-21) scale during the 8 weeks of treatment.

RESULTS:

Therapeutic response to antidepressant escitalopram was better in s allele carriers (ss, sl) than in l allele homozygotes (ll) at 8 weeks of treatment (OR = 6.24, p = 0.026). The proportion of s allele carriers in responders was higher than that in non-responders (96.6 vs. 85.7%). The percentile decline in HAMD-21 in s allele carriers (59.86 ± 3.23%) was larger than that in HAMD-21 in l allele homozygotes (43.13 ± 11.49%; p = 0.029). However, 5-HTTLPR genotypes were not significantly associated with remission (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS:

Our results show that treatment response to escitalopram at 8 weeks was moderated by 5-HTTLPR, with better response rates for s allele carriers than for l allele homozygotes. Although the role of 5-HTTLPR as a definite predictor of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment response cannot be confirmed from current results, they do suggest a trend for better response in s allele carriers.

• Authors: Eun-Soo Won, Hun-Soo Chang, Hwa-Young Lee, Byung-Joo Ham, Min-Soo Lee
• Journal: Neuropsychobiology (Neuropsychobiology) Vol. 66 Issue 4 Pg. 221-9 ( 2012) ISSN: 1423-0224 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 23095326 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Chemical References

• Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
• Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors
• Citalopram

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Alleles
• Asian People (genetics)
• Citalopram (therapeutic use)
• Depressive Disorder, Major (drug therapy, genetics)
• Female
• Genetic Association Studies (methods, statistics & numerical data)
• Genotype
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Polymorphism, Genetic (genetics)
• Psychiatric Status Rating Scales (statistics & numerical data)
• Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins (genetics)
• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (therapeutic use)
• Treatment Outcome