Low levels of MHPG in depressive spectrum patients

There is some preliminary laboratory support for the proposed classification of depressed patients into depressive spectrum disease (DSD) and non-DSD. This study explores whether there is a difference in the levels of the norepinephrine metabolite, MHPG, in DSD and non-DSD patients. MHPG levels from 38 DSD patients were compared with 24 non-DSD patients. After controlling for the influence of age and gender on MHPG, the DSD patients had MHPG levels that were lower than non-DSD patients; 1655 +/- 90 mg/day vs. 1965 +/- 174 mg/day, respectively; P = 0.05. This study provides additional laboratory support for the DSD subtype. Possible implications of this finding are discussed.