Efficacy of citalopram and sertraline in depression according to BDNF, IL-6, and cortisol levels

Evaluating the effectiveness of citalopram and sertraline in the treatment of depression with respect to the level of BDNF, IL-6, and cortisol in men and women with major depressive disorder: A randomized double-blinded clinical trial

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Phase 3

Study type

Interventional

Source

IRCT

Registry ID

IRCT20090117001556N147

Enrollment

Registered

2022-09-13

Start date

2022-11-22

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2022-11-21

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Depression. Major depressive disorder, single episode, moderate

Interventions

Intervention 1: Control group: Men and women with major depressive disorder receiving citalopram (40 mg daily) for six weeks. Intervention 2: Intervention group: Men and women with major depressive di

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 60 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Age between 18-60 years old Based on DSM-V have a diagnosis of major depression (MDD) and their minimum severity of depression based on HDRS is 19

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: Any other mental disorder in another axis Serious suicidal thoughts (<2 in suicidal HDRS section) Psychosis History of ECT in recent two months History of mania and hypomania Thyroid dysfunctions History of cardiovascular disease Diabetes Autoimmune disorders Presence of active infection Neurologic disorders like epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease Liver disease Kidney disease Pregnant or lactating women

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Severity of depression. Timepoint: Weeks 0 , 4 , 8. Method of measurement: By Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.	—

Countries

Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Contacts

Public ContactDr. Shahin Akhondzadeh

Tehran University of Medical Sciences

s.akhond@sina.tums.ac.ir+98 21 5541 2222

Outcome results

None listed

Source: IRCT (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026