Antidepressant effects of citalopram on treatment of alopecia areata in patients with major depressive disorder.

OBJECTIVE

The authors sought to determine whether antidepressant therapy could enhance the efficacy of dermatological treatment in alopecia areata patients who suffer from major depressive disorder.

METHODS

Sixty patients were enrolled in the study. Thirty patients with alopecia who were diagnosed with major depressive disorder received 20 mg/day citalopram and 5 mg/mL triamcinolone injection every 4 weeks, up to six injections, and 30 patients received only triamcinolone injection each month for 6 months using a simple random method.

RESULTS

The mean diameter of the alopecic patches in the triamcinolone injection only group as against the combined treatment group (psychiatric [citalopram] plus dermatologic treatment) before treatment was 2.7 ± 0.7 (mean ± SD) and 2.5 ± 1.8, respectively, with no statistically significant differences (Mann-Whitney, p = 0.08). After 6 months of therapy, the mean diameter of patches reached 1.6 ± 1 and 0.54 ± 0.97 in the triamcinolone injection only group and the combined treatment groups, respectively (Mann-Whitney, p < 0.0001).

DISCUSSION: The results of this study showed that antidepressant treatment might help in improving alopecia areata in patients with major depressive disorder.