Baseline Blood Biochemical and Immunological Measures Correlate with Clinical Features and Treatment Responses in Late-Life Depression.

INTRODUCTION

Heterogeneity of patients with late-life depression (LLD) makes it difficult to predict their responses to treatment.

METHODS

Hundred patients with LLD were stratified into clusters based on ten blood biochemical and immunological parameters measured at baseline. The treatment responses and clinical characteristics of the patients in the resulting clusters were compared.

RESULTS

The resulting 4 clusters of patients significantly differed in treatment responses and in a number of clinical traits.

CONCLUSION

The study confirms the link between the activities of enzymes involved in energy, glutamate metabolism, and antioxidant and immune systems in patients with LLD and their response to therapy as well as their certain clinical characteristics.