Researchers from the University of Bristol have conducted a clinical trial to determine if the anti-inflammatory drug tocilizumab can alleviate symptoms in patients with depression who are unresponsive to standard pharmacological treatments.

布里斯托大學的研究人員進行了一項臨床試驗，以確定抗炎藥物托珠單抗是否能緩解對標準藥物治療沒有反應的憂鬱症患者的症狀。

The theoretical framework for this investigation is predicated on the observation that approximately one-third of depressed individuals exhibit systemic inflammation, characterized by elevated levels of cytokines such as interleukin 6 (IL-6). While conventional antidepressants primarily modulate neurotransmitters—namely serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine—a significant cohort of patients remains refractory to these interventions. Consequently, the study sought to evaluate the efficacy of blocking the IL-6R receptor to inhibit inflammatory signaling.

本次研究的理論框架基於一項觀察，即約三分之一的憂鬱症患者表現出全身性發炎，其特徵為細胞因子（如白細胞介素 6 (IL-6)）水平升高。雖然傳統的抗憂鬱藥主要調節神經傳導物質——即血清素、去甲腎上腺素和多巴胺——但仍有相當數量的患者對這些干預措施沒有反應。因此，該研究旨在評估阻斷 IL-6R 受體以抑制發炎信號的療效。

The methodology employed a randomized controlled trial involving 30 participants with moderate-to-severe depression. Subjects were administered either tocilizumab or a placebo over a four-week duration. Although the limited sample size precluded the attainment of broad statistical significance, the data indicated a trend toward superior outcomes in the tocilizumab group. Specifically, improvements were noted in quality of life, state anxiety, fatigue, and overall symptom severity. Notably, the remission rate for the immunotherapy group was 54%, compared to 31% for the placebo group. This corresponds to a Number Needed to Treat (NNT) of 5, which suggests a higher probability of positive clinical outcomes than the NTT of 7 typically associated with Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs).

研究方法採用隨機對照試驗，涉及 30 名患有中度至重度憂鬱症的參與者。受試者在為期四週的時間內被施以托珠單抗或安慰劑。雖然有限的樣本規模使得無法達到廣泛的統計顯著性，但數據顯示托珠單抗組的結果有更優越的趨勢。具體而言，在生活品質、狀態焦慮、疲勞感和整體症狀嚴重程度方面均有改善。值得注意的是，免疫治療組的緩解率為 54%，而安慰劑組為 31%。這對應於需治數 (NNT) 為 5，表明其產生正面臨床結果的可能性高於選擇性血清素再吸收抑制劑 (SSRIs) 通常相關的 NNT 7。

Institutional stakeholders characterize this research as a foundational step toward precision psychiatry. By aligning therapeutic selection with the biological profile of the patient, the researchers aim to optimize the timing and nature of clinical interventions.

機構相關方將此研究描述為邁向精準精神醫學的基礎性一步。研究人員旨在透過將治療選擇與患者的生物學特徵相對齊，以優化臨床干預的時間與性質。

The trial provides preliminary evidence that immunotherapy may be effective for treatment-resistant depression, necessitating a large-scale phase III trial for definitive validation.

該試驗提供了初步證據，表明免疫治療可能對抗藥性憂鬱症有效，因此需要進行大規模的第三期試驗以進行最終驗證。