Efficacy of Sertraline in the Treatment of Depression in Patients with Parkinson's Disease

Objective: We investigated the efficacy and safety of sertraline in the treatment of depression in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) without motor oscillations. Sertraline has less potential for pharmacokinetic drug interactions than other antidepressants and this feature ensures an tolerability profile especially in the elderly. Material and Methods: Sixteen patients with PD who were diagnosed with major depression according to DSM-IV criteria were included in this open-label trial for 8th weeks. Anti-parkinsonian medications have not been modified throughout the study period. Initial sertraline dose was 25 mg for the first week and then incrased to 50 mg given every morning. For assessment of depression, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) were used and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and Hoehn-Yahr Scale were used for parkinsonism. Results: BDI and HAM-D scores decreased significantly (p= 0.000) and clinical global assessment of efficacy revealed "good" or "excellent" responses in all patients. Mean parkinsonian disability, as assessed by the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and Hoehn and Yahr Stage scales, remained unchanged throughout the study in the group as a whole. Conclusion: Although these preliminary results need to be confirmed in large placebo-controlled trials, the results of the present study suggest that sertraline does not worsen motor performance and may be useful in the treatment of depression in PD.