Serum Markers as a Bioassay for Unipolar Depression

Completed

Conditions studied: Major Depression

In brief

The goal of the study is to validate a biomarker assay for unipolar depression based on serum proteins involved in inflammation, metabolism, and stress response. The study will compare patients with a current major depressive episode to individuals with no history of depression. The hypothesis is that the assay can serve as a diagnostic tool that would be more objective than standard diagnostic questionnaires.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT00825799

Run by

Steward St. Elizabeth's Medical Center of Boston, Inc.

People needed

160

Starts

2007-11-01

Expected to finish

2011-05-01

Last updated by the study team

2014-01-03

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 60. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may not qualify if…

• Meets DSM-IV criteria for Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective disorder or other major Axis I Psychiatric disorders (except for depression and phobia per above).
• Addison's Disease, Cushing's Disease, or other known dysfunction of the HPA-cortisol axis.
• Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or other condition associated with increased inflammation.
• Regular use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, steroids, or other medications know to interact with the inflammatory process of the HPA axis.
• A medical condition or regular use of a mediation, which I the opinion of the investigator is likely to influence the inflammatory or HPA responses.
• Pregnancy.
• Meets DSM-IV criteria for substance abuse or dependence in the last month.
• Regular cigarette smoking.
• History of fainting or other significant adverse event during blood drawing in the past.

Where it is running

• Steward St. Elizabeth's Medical Center — Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

Trial information comes from ClinicalTrials.gov and is refreshed daily. TrialsForMe does not provide medical care and does not run the studies it lists.