Antidepressants Have Anti-Inflammatory Effects Relevant to Dermatology: A Systematic Review

A systematic review of literature from January 1984 to June 2016, which included 1,252 dermatological patients across 28 trials or case reports, found evidence that monoaminergic antidepressants have anti-inflammatory effects that could benefit patients with inflammatory skin disorders such as chronic urticaria, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, other eczema, and alopecia areata. The studies reported a decrease in dermatological symptoms following antidepressant treatment. While earlier trials on first-generation antidepressants were randomized controlled trials, more recent studies on modern antidepressants were open-label but provided detailed information on patient characteristics and study procedures. These findings suggest that antidepressants could be used in dermatology for reasons other than treating psychiatric comorbidities, although further research into modern, tolerable antidepressants like selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, mirtazapine, and bupropion is needed.