Efficacy of Botox versus Placebo for Treatment of Patients with Major Depression

Abbas Zamanian; Atefeh Ghanbari Jolfaei; Golnaz Mehran; Zahra Azizian

Efficacy of Botox versus Placebo for Treatment of Patients with Major Depression

Iran J Public Health. 2017 Jul;46(7):982-984.

Authors

Abbas Zamanian¹, Atefeh Ghanbari Jolfaei², Golnaz Mehran¹, Zahra Azizian^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
² Dept. of Psychiatry, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
³ Skin and Stem Cell Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

PMID: 28845410
PMCID: PMC5563881

Abstract

Background: Treatment of major depression is crucial to decrease the burden of disease. Hence, in this study, the efficacy of Botox was compared with placebo for treatment of patients with major depression.

Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 28 consecutive patients with major depression were enrolled. The patients were randomly assigned to receive either Botox or placebo and the scores of Beck Depression Inventory were determined and compared at baseline and after two and six weeks in the groups and between the groups. In addition, the drug adverse effects were compared between groups. This study had been registered in TCTR with TCTR20170409001 code.

Results: There was a statistically significant difference two group for 6^th week Beck Score (P=0.004), but at baseline and after two weeks, there was no significant difference (P>0.05). None of the patients experienced side effects.

Conclusion: Finally, Botox is effective for treatment of patients with major depression and it has a high safety.

Keywords: Botox; Major depression; Treatment.