PMID- 24322509 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20141215 LR - 20211021 IS - 1740-634X (Electronic) IS - 0893-133X (Print) IS - 0893-133X (Linking) VI - 39 IP - 6 DP - 2014 May TI - Recombinant human erythropoietin for treating treatment-resistant depression: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial. PG - 1399-408 LID - 10.1038/npp.2013.335 [doi] AB - Pharmacological treatments for depression have insufficient efficacy in 30-40% of patients and fail to reverse cognitive deficits. Erythropoietin (EPO) has neurotrophic actions and aids neurocognitive function. The aim of this exploratory study was to determine whether recombinant human EPO improves mood and memory in treatment-resistant depression. Forty treatment-resistant depressed unipolar patients with Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 (HDRS-17) score >/= 17 were randomized to eight weekly EPO (Eprex; 40,000 IU) or saline infusions in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group design. Patients were assessed at baseline and at weeks 5, 9, and 14. Primary outcome was reduction in HDRS-17 score. Global assessment of function (GAF) was reported in addition. Secondary outcome was remission rate, and tertiary outcomes were changes in Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), Beck Depression Inventory-21 (BDI-21), and World Health Organization Quality of life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF). Exploratory outcomes were depression and cognition composite scores. HDRS-17, GAF, and remission rates showed no effects of EPO over saline at week 9 (P-value >/= 0.09). However, EPO improved BDI (P=0.02) and WHOQOL-BREF (P=0.01), and this was maintained at follow-up week 14 (P-values