Promoting Enhanced Pharmacotherapy Choice Through Immunomarkers Evaluation in Depression

PRECISE-D is a single site, randomized, open label 8-week clinical trial that will enroll 70 participants to evaluate if the level of inflammation in our body can predict how we will respond to antidepressants. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a substance in the body that is associated with inflammation. Previous research has suggested that people with high CRP (i.e., high inflammation levels) tend to have greater improvement of depressive symptoms with an antidepressant called bupropion, while individuals with low CRP (i.e., low inflammation levels) appear to have more benefit from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors antidepressants (SSRI), such as escitalopram. However, it is not completely clear if CRP can predict your response to these two antidepressants. Participants will undergo a screening visit that includes a physical exam, overall health evaluation, assessment of mental health history, and a toxicology and pregnancy test. Once screening is complete, participants will be randomized to one of two groups that will determine whether their CRP levels will be used to select which antidepressant they will receive. Participants will then complete 4 follow up visits at weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8. A follow-up phone call from the study team will occur at week 12.