Psoriasis drug may treat depression, fatigue

[Andi]

A new study shows that the psoriasis drug called Enbrel (etanercept), made by the California-based Amgen company, appears to also reduce depression and fatigue.

The findings by Ranga Krishnan, M.D., of Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina, and his colleagues were published online in the UK medical journal Lancet on Dec. 15.

Enbrel works by blocking tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), which is produced by the body during inflammation. High concentrations of TNF-alpha have also been linked to major depression, the researchers said. The question that Krishnan and his colleagues wanted to answer was whether blocking TNF-alpha could improve the symptoms of depression and fatigue.

"When people get a cold, infection, psoriasis or arthritis, they tend to feel bad and have low energy. They want to sleep more, and they're moody and depressed," Krishnan said. "It has been shown that this is due to the elevation of cytokines such as TNF-alpha".

In a 618-patient trial of Enbrel, those given the drug for 12 weeks had a 47-percent improvement in mood, as measured by a commonly used rating scale for depression. Compared to those taking the placebo, the Enbrel subjects showed less fatigue, a significant improvement with feelings of guilt and irritability, and raised levels of interest, self-appearance, work productivity, sleep capability and sexual performance. Although these positive results were not highly correlated with Enbrel's success on treating psoriasis, some critics of the study suggest that the psychological improvements can not be separated from relieving psoriasis symptoms.

"I think any therapy that improves psoriasis is going to improve depression and fatigue," said Jeffrey M. Weinberg, M.D., director of the clinical research center in the department of dermatology at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City. "My patients are very happy when they are doing better. Not only can we improve the disease, but the disease also has a social-psycho impact, and successful therapy can positively impact that."

Currently, drugs like Enbrel cost more than $12,000 a year, making them a more expensive and less common treatment for depression.


http://www.mydna.com/resources/news/...epression.html