Dive Brief:
- In a meta-analysis of 6,262 depressed patients published in JAMA Psychiatry, researchers found that using anti-inflammatory drugs or analgesics as part of treatment helped improve patients' symptoms.
- This finding is consistent with other research showing a link between depression and physical illness.
- Though the study could have a positive overall impact on the treatment paradigm for depression, there is a concern about dosing, especially considering the side effects associated with some anti-inflammatory meds.
Dive Insight:
Earlier this week, BioPharma Dive reported on the positive impact of anti-inflammatory medications in patients with schizophrenia. Now, it appears they have a similar effect on depression.
Researchers are beginning to understand the profoundly pathologic effect that inflammation has in the body, and how this is also linked to mental health. The Danish researchers who conducted the study caution that the results are still being analyzed and that treating inflammation is only one dimension of comprehensively addressing depression, which the World Health Organization (WHO) lists as one of the top five reasons for decreased lifespan and decreased quality of life.