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Table 3 Overview of studies comparing biological dysregulations across melancholic and atypical depression

From: Understanding the somatic consequences of depression: biological mechanisms and the role of depression symptom profile

Reference

Nr of melancholic depression

Nr of atypical depression

Nr of controls

Summary of findings

Metabolic dysregulation

Lamers et al. 2010 [115]

379

201

-

AD more MetS than MD

Seppala et al. 2012 [53]

293

1391

2,388

AD more MetS than C, no association with MD

Immuno-inflammatory dysregulation

Anisman et al. 1999 [123]

17

31

27

No difference in IL-1b + IL-2

Kaestner et al. 2005 [124]

21

161

37

AD higher IL-1b + IL-1RA than C + MD

Huang et al. 2007 [125]

25

171

40

MD higher IL-1b than AD no difference in IL-10 and TNF-α

Yoon et al. 2012 [126]

70

35

-

AD higher IL-2 and lower IL-4 than MD no differences in IL-6 + TNF-α

Lamers et al. 2012 [127]

111

122

543

AD higher IL-6 + CRP + TNF-α than MD + C

Karlovic et al. 2012 [128]

32

23

18

MD + AD higher IL-6 + CRP than C no difference in TNF-α

HPA-axis dysregulation

Nelson et al. 1997 [110]

662

6171

-

MD more DST non-suppression than AD

Anisman et al. 1999 [123]

17

31

27

AD lower cortisol than C

Wong et al. 2000 [129]

10

-

14

MD higher cortisol than C

Kaestner et al. 2005 [124]

21

161

37

MD higher cortisol than AD + C

Lamers et al. 2012 [127]

66

82

393

MD higher cortisol than AD + C

Karlovic et al. 2012 [128]

32

23

18

MD higher cortisol than AD + C

  1. 1 Atypical depression was assessed as the absence of melancholic depression (non-melancholic depression).
  2. AD, Atypical depression; C, Healthy controls; CRP, C-reactive protein; DST, Dexamethasone suppression test; IL, Interleukin; MD, Melancholic depression; MetS, Metabolic syndrome; TNF, Tumor necrosis factor.