Efficacy of pentoxifylline for the treatment of bipolar I/II patients with treatment-resistant depression: A proof-of-concept, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Immune dysregulation can play a role in depression pathophysiology, and immunological antagonists can improve depressive symptoms in treatment-resistant bipolar depression (TRD) patients according to studies.

Objective: To evaluate the anti-depressant effects of the anti-inflammatory drug, pentoxifylline (PTX) in TRD bipolar I/II adult subjects.

Methods: This 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial of 60 participants was conducted at Hawler Psychiatric Hospital and Private Clinic in Erbil, Iraq.