Table 5.
Cytokine levels in relation to clinical response
| Coefficient | Estimate | SE | df | t | p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IL-1β | |||||
| (intercept) | 0.076 | 0.167 | 111 | 0.454 | 0.651 |
| Response | 0.049 | 0.232 | 111 | 0.212 | 0.832 |
| Time | −0.004 | 0.236 | 111 | −0.017 | 0.987 |
| Response:time | 0.426 | 0.324 | 111 | 1.317 | 0.191 |
| IL-6 | |||||
| (intercept) | 0.819 | 0.127 | 93.577 | 6.473 | <0.001* |
| Response | −0.236 | 0.173 | 93.577 | −1.477 | 0.143 |
| Time | −0.300 | 0.128 | 58.000 | −2.345 | 0.023* |
| Response:time | 0.168 | 0.175 | 58.000 | 0.958 | 0.342 |
| TNF-α | |||||
| (intercept) | 1.473 | 0.105 | 89.730 | 13.992 | <0.001* |
| Response | 0.192 | 0.144 | 89.730 | 1.326 | 0.188 |
| Time | 0.035 | 0.101 | 58.000 | 0.350 | 0.727 |
| Response:time | −0.087 | 0.138 | 58.000 | −0.628 | 0.533 |
Plasma concentrations of the cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α and HAMD-21 scores were assessed at baseline (PRE) and after 5 weeks of treatment (W5). Clinical response (responder vs. nonresponder) was defined by a reduction of at least 50% of the PRE HAMD-21 score after 5 weeks of treatment. To analyze the relationship between treatment response and cytokine levels over time, an interaction term entered the analysis (response:time). Coefficient, regression coefficient; estimate, estimated parameter value; SE, standard error of the parameter estimate; df, degrees of freedom; t, t value; p, probability of committing a type I error; intercept, intercept of the linear regression; time, dichotomous growth variable for the change between PRE and W5. Statistically significant effects (*α = 0.05) are highlighted in bold and are marked with an asterisk.