serotonin and A/R

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J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Apr;96(4):1039-45. Epub 2011 Feb 2.Effects of two selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants, sertraline and escitalopram, on aldosterone/renin ratio in normotensive depressed male patients.Ahmed AH, Calvird M, Gordon RD, PJ, Ward G, Pimenta E, Young R, Stowasser M.SourceEndocrine Hypertension Research Centre, University of Queensland School of Medicine, Princess andra Hospital, Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba, Brisbane 4102, Australia.AbstractBACKGROUND:Plasma aldosterone to renin ratio (ARR) is the most popular screening test for primary aldosteronism (PAL). Certain medications are known to cause false-negative or -positive ARRs by affecting renin and aldosterone levels. There are no previously published data on the effects of antidepressants on ARR.METHODS:Normotensive, depressed male patients (n = 26) underwent measurement (seated, midmorning) of plasma aldosterone, direct renin concentration (DRC), renin activity (PRA), electrolytes and creatinine and urinary aldosterone, cortisol, electrolytes, and creatinine at baseline and after 2 and 6 wk treatment with sertraline (n = 14) or escitalopram (n = 12).RESULTS:For both antidepressants, treatment was associated with rises in aldosterone [sertraline: baseline, mean ± sd, 243 ± 34; 2 wk, 256 ± 33; 6 wk, 267 ± 34 pmol/liter (P < 0.01 by ANOVA); escitalopram, 261 ± 36, 269 ± 38, 282 ± 40 pmol/liter (P < 0.05)], DRC [19.5 ± 2.2, 33.5 ± 2.0, 39.0 ± 2.4 mU/liter (P < 0.001); 24.5 ± 2.4, 34.0 ± 2.7, 42.8 ± 2.4 mU/liter (P < 0.001)], and PRA [2.24 ± 0.21, 2.58 ± 0.26, 4.68 ± 0.42 ng/ml · h (P < 0.001); 4.31 ± 0.22, 5.57 ± 0.36, 6.42 ± 0.53 ng/ml · h (P < 0.001)]. ARR fell significantly whether calculated using DRC [sertraline, 13.7 ± 2.2, 7.5 ± 0.7, 6.8 ± 0.7 (P < 0.001); escitalopram, 11.5 ± 1.9, 8.0 ± 1.1, 6.6 ± 1.0 (P < 0.001)], or PRA [116.6 ± 15.8, 108.4 ± 15.6, 60.4 ± 6.2 (P < 0.001); 61.2 ± 8.1, 50.0 ± 7.7, 45.6 ± 6.0 (P < 0.01)].CONCLUSION:Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants can significantly reduce ARR and therefore potentially increase the risk of false-negative results when screening for PAL. Further studies in hypertensive patients, including patients with confirmed PAL, are required.Now the question is does depression itself alter the PA ratio? In mice in the Henry s Cage stress paradigm the depressed mice have low renin and no low aldos and get adrenal hyperplasia. CE Grim MD