Some researchers suppose that cortisol/DHEAS ratio is an important markers of anabolic balance.

The aim of the study was to investigate cortisol, DHEAS and cortisol/DHEAS ratio in depressed patients with antidepressant treatment.

There were examined 39 patients with depressive episode (F 32.2). Patients in the first group (n=25) had antidepressant treatment of tianeptine during three weeks in the average dose of 37,5 mg per day. Patients in the second group (n=14) had treatment of sertraline in the average dose of 50 mg per day. Depressive symptoms were evaluated by the Hamilton Depression Scale (HDS). Blood samples were drawn two times: before antidepressant treatment, and on 21 day of the treatment. Serum DHEAS and cortisol levels were measured using immune-enzyme method.

There was a negative correlation between DHEAS level and score by the HDS before treatment (rs = - 0,47, p=0,037). Cortisol/DHEAS ratio in patients after tianeptine treatment was significantly low than before treatment (accordingly 258 and 394, P = 0,002). In patients under sertraline treatment these differences were also significant (accordingly 339 and 419, p=0,04), but after tianeptine treatment cortisol/DHEAS ratio was significantly low than after sertraline treatment (accordingly 258 and 339, p=0,003). Decrease in the cortisol/DHEAS ratio was correlated with improvement of depressive symptoms, measured by HDS (rs = 0,42, p=0,045).

Our results demonstrate that antidepressants influence on anabolic balance in depression, decreasing cortisol/DHEAS ratio. The influence of the tianeptine on cortisol/DHEAS ratio is marked more than sertraline.