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A psychological intervention reduces inflammatory markers by alleviating depressive symptoms : secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial . OBJECTIVES To test experimentally whether a psychological intervention reduces depression-related symptoms and markers of inflammation among cancer patients and to test one mechanism for the intervention effects . Depression and inflammation are common among cancer patients . Data suggest that inflammation can contribute to depressive symptoms , although the converse remains untested . METHODS As part of a randomized clinical trial , newly diagnosed breast cancer patients ( n = 45 ) with clinically significant depressive symptoms were evaluated and randomized to psychological intervention with assessment or assessment only study arms . The intervention spanned 12 months , with assessments at baseline , 4 , 8 , and 12 months . Mixed-effects modeling tested the hypothesis that the intervention reduced self-reported depressive symptoms ( Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale , Profile of Mood States Depression and Fatigue subscales , and Medical Outcomes Study-Short Form 36 Bodily Pain subscale ) and immune cell numbers that are elevated in the presence of inflammation ( white blood cell count , neutrophil count , and helper/suppressor ratio ) . Mediation analyses tested whether change in depressive symptoms , pain , or fatigue predicted change in white blood cell count , neutrophil count , or the helper/suppressor ratio . RESULTS The intervention reduced significantly depressive symptoms , pain , fatigue , and inflammation markers . Moreover , the intervention effect on inflammation was mediated by its effect on depressive symptoms . CONCLUSIONS This is the first experiment to test whether psychological treatment effective in reducing depressive symptoms would also reduce indicators of inflammation . Data show that the intervention reduced directly depressive symptoms and reduced indirectly inflammation . Psychological treatment may treat effectively depressive symptoms , pain , and fatigue among cancer patients .
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Intervention_Educational
psychological intervention
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Intervention_Educational
psychological intervention
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Intervention_Educational
psychological intervention with assessment or assessment only study
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Outcome_Physical
inflammatory markers
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Outcome_Mental
depressive symptoms
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Outcome_Mental
depressive symptoms
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Outcome_Mental
self-reported depressive symptoms
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Outcome_Physical
immune cell numbers
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Outcome_Mental
change in depressive symptoms
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Outcome_Pain
pain
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Outcome_Physical
fatigue
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Outcome_Physical
change in white blood cell count
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Outcome_Physical
neutrophil count ,
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Outcome_Physical
helper/suppressor ratio
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Outcome_Mental
depressive symptoms
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Outcome_Pain
pain
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Outcome_Physical
fatigue
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Outcome_Physical
inflammation markers
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Outcome_Physical
inflammation
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Outcome_Mental
depressive symptoms
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Outcome_Mental
depressive symptoms
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Outcome_Physical
inflammation
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Outcome_Pain
depressive symptoms
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Outcome_Pain
pain
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Outcome_Pain
fatigue
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Participant_Condition
cancer
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Participant_Condition
cancer
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Participant_Condition
breast cancer
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Participant_Sample-size
45
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Participant_Condition
clinically significant depressive symptoms
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Participant_Condition
cancer