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Research: ZIMMER and COLLEAGUES,
Listed in Issue 231
Abstract
ZIMMER and COLLEAGUES, (1)Department of Psychiatry, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Meisenweg 7, DE-82237 Wörthsee, Germany reinhilde.zimmer@lrz.tu-muenchen.de evaluated the effects of supplementation of the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on prevalence and severity of depression in patients following a myocardial infarction.
Background
Methodology
A cross-sectional evaluation (post-test-only design) within the prospective, randomized, controlled, multicenter OMEGA trial was performed in patients after myocardial infarction at 12 months' follow-up (N = 2,081; age, mean = 64 years; men, 76.7%; women, 21.8%) from April 2005 to June 2007. Patients received supplementation with ethyl esters 90 (460-mg EPA and 380-mg DHA) or placebo for 12 months. Depression was assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II); a BDI-II cutoff score of ≥ 14 was used as diagnosis of depression.
Results
When the total population was evaluated, no effects of EPA/DHA supplementation on depressive symptoms according to BDI-II score (mean [SD]) could be demonstrated: EPA/DHA (n = 1,046), 7.1 (6.9); placebo (n = 1,035), 7.1 (7.0); P = .7. The post hoc analyses of depressed patients with and without antidepressants revealed a tendency toward an antidepressant effect in patients with EPA/DHA supplementation as monotherapy: EPA/DHA (n = 125), 19.4 (5.8); placebo (n = 113), 19.9 (5.1); P = .07. However, in depressed patients with EPA/DHA supplementation as adjunctive to conventional antidepressants, a clinically relevant antidepressant effect was demonstrated: EPA/DHA (n = 33), 20.9 (7.1); placebo (n = 29), 24.9 (8.5); P < .05.
Conclusion
EPA/DHA supplementation in the total sample of patients after myocardial infarction had no effect on depressive symptoms. The clinically relevant antidepressant effect in the subgroup of depressed patients with EPA/DHA supplementation as adjunctive to conventional antidepressants that was revealed in the post hoc analysis might provide a basis for a controlled, prospective trial of omega-3 augmentation of antidepressants in patients after myocardial infarction.
References
Zimmer R(1), Riemer T, Rauch B, Schneider S, Schiele R, Gohlke H, Diller F, Steinbeck G, Katus H, Senges J; OMEGA-Study Group. Effects of 1-year treatment with highly purified omega-3 fatty acids on depression after myocardial infarction: results from the OMEGA trial. J Clin Psychiatry.74(11):e1037-45. doi: 10.4088/JCP.13m08453. Nov 2013. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00251134.
