Research article

S-adenosylmethionine (SAM-e) for the treatment of depression in people living with HIV/AIDS

R Andrew Shippy , Douglas Mendez , Kristina Jones , Irene Cergnul and Stephen E Karpiak

ACRIA (AIDS Community Research Initiative of America), 230 West 38^th St, 17^th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA

author email corresponding author email

BMC Psychiatry 2004, 4:38doi:10.1186/1471-244X-4-38

Published:	11 November 2004

Abstract

Background

This study reports on clinical data from an 8-week open-label study of 20 HIV-seropositive individuals, diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (DSM-IV), who were treated with SAM-e (S-Adenosylmethionine). SAM-e may be a treatment alternative for the management of depression in a population reluctant to add another "pill" or another set of related side effects to an already complex highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen.

Methods

The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to assess depressive symptomatology from 1,2,4,6 and 8 weeks after initiation of treatment with SAM-e.

Results

Data show a significant acute reduction in depressive symptomatology, as measured by both the HAM-D and the BDI instruments.

Conclusions

SAM-e has a rapid effect evident as soon as week 1 (p < .001), with progressive decreases in depression symptom rating scores throughout the 8 week study.