Role of Pentoxifylline as an Adjuvant Therapy for Adult Patients With Major Depressive Disorder
Role of Pentoxifylline as an Adjuvant Therapy for Adult Patients With Major Depressive Disorder
This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic benefits of pentoxifylline (PTX) in treatment of
 adult patients with MDD as it has anti-inflammatory and phosphodiastrase inhibition
 activities.
In this study, the investigators evaluated the potential antidepressant effect of PTX in
 adult patients with MDD. the investigators hypothesized that MDD patients taking add-on PTX
 would present greater amelioration of their depressive symptoms than patients taking add-on
 placebo. Furthermore, the investigators assessed the relationship between HAM-D score and
 several peripheral biomarkers as well as their role in diagnosis and therapeutic targets of
 MDD.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Eighty adult outpatients with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
 Disorders-IV (DSM-IV) diagnosis of MDD based on a MINI Neuropsychiatric Interview
 (MINI) (American Psychiatric Association., 2000; Sheehan et al., 1998), without
 psychotic features and a total 17 item HAM-D score of at least 18 with item 1
 (depressed mood) scored 2 or greater were eligible (Hamilton, 1960).

 -  Patients were requested to be free of all the psychotropic and anti-inflammatory
 medications for at least 4 weeks before participating in the study.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Patients with bipolar I or bipolar II disorder

 -  Patients with personality disorders

 -  Patients with eating disorders

 -  Patients with substance dependence or abuse

 -  Patients with concurrent active medical condition

 -  Patients with history of seizures

 -  Patients with history of receiving Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

 -  Patients with inflammatory disorders

 -  Patients with allergy or contraindications to the used medications

 -  Patients with finally pregnant or lactating females