Efficacy of vortioxetine in the comprehensive treatment o women with obesity and affective disorders: results of a comparative study

SUMMARY
Obesity remains a pressing issue as a multidisciplinary condition with a significant psychoemotional component.
Objective. To assess the clinical and psychoemotional status of female patients with exogenous-constitutional obesity and comorbid affective disorders, as well as to determine the efficacy of incorporating vortioxetine into the comprehensive treatment regimen.
Materials and Methods. The study included 66 women aged 39 to 46 years with obesity (BMI 35–40 kg/m²). The main group (n=34) received vortioxetine 10–20 mg/day alongside standard obesity therapy (diet and physical activity); the comparison group (n=32) declined pharmacological treatment but followed endocrinologist recommendations. Assessment included anthropometric measurements, biochemical and hormonal analyses, and psychometric evaluations using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS‑17) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS) at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months.
Results. Both groups exhibited a high prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders ranging from mild episodes to mixed states and dysthymia. By month 6, the main group demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in depression and anxiety levels: average HDRS scores decreased from 19.0 to 9.9, and HARS scores from 16.3 to 7.9. No significant changes in psychoemotional status were observed in the comparison group. Body weight reduction was more pronounced in the vortioxetine group, while the comparison group had a higher rate of treatment refusal (34.4 %).
Conclusion. The use of vortioxetine in women with obesity and affective disorders leads to an improvement in psychoemotional status and may contribute to the correction of metabolic disturbances.

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