Antidepressant effects of citalopram on treatment of alopecia areata in patients with major depressive disorder

Objective: The authors sought to determine whether antidepressant therapy could enhance the efficacy of dermatological treatment in alopecia areata patients who suffer from major depressive disorder. Methods: Sixty patients were enrolled in the study. Thirty patients with alopecia who were diagnosed with major depressive disorder received 20 mg/day citalopram and 5 mg/mL triamcinolone injection every 4 weeks, up to six injections, and 30 patients received only triamcinolone injection each month for 6 months using a simple random method. Results: The mean diameter of the alopecic patches in the triamcinolone injection only group as against the combined treatment group (psychiatric [citalopram] plus dermatologic treatment) before treatment was 2.7 +/- 0.7 (mean +/- SD) and 2.5 +/- 1.8, respectively, with no statistically significant differences (Mann Whitney, p = 0.08). After 6 months of therapy, the mean diameter of patches reached 1.6 +/- 1 and 0.54 +/- 0.97 in the triamcinolone injection only group and the combined treatment groups, respectively (Mann Whitney, p < 0.0001). Discussion: The results of this study showed that antidepressant treatment might help in improving alopecia areata in patients with major depressive disorder.