Synergistic effects of resilience and serum ghrelin levels on the 12-week pharmacotherapeutic response in patients with depressive disorders

Background This study investigated the individual and combined effects of self-reported resilience and serum ghrelin levels on 12-week remission in outpatients with depressive disorders who received antidepressant treatment. Methods The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CDRS) score and serum ghrelin levels were assessed at baseline in 1,094 patients. The patients initially received antidepressant monotherapy. Patients with an insufficient response or uncomfortable side effects received alternative treatments every 3 weeks (at 3, 6, and 9 weeks). Subsequently, 12-week remission, defined as a Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) score of ≤ 7, was evaluated. The individual and combined effects of the CDRS score (low vs. high) and serum ghrelin level (low vs. high) on 12-week remission were analyzed using logistic regression models after adjusting for relevant covariates. Results The individual effects of the CDRS score and serum ghrelin level on 12-week remission were not statistically significant. However, the high-CDRS, high-ghrelin group had a significantly higher 12-week remission rate compared to the low-CDRS, low-ghrelin group. Conclusions The combination of the CDRS score and serum ghrelin level is useful for predicting 12-week remission in patients with depressive disorders receiving pharmacotherapy.