Enbrel and Depression

There are several side effects of Enbrel, and depression appears to be one of the less common side effects of the medication. During clinical studies, depression was a reported side effect occurring in less than 1.5 percent of people taking Enbrel.

 

Is Depression an Enbrel Side Effect?

Enbrel® (etanercept) is a prescription medicine used for treating rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and plaque psoriasis. There are several possible side effects for people taking Enbrel; depression does appear to be one of the less common side effects reported in Enbrel clinical studies.
 

Understanding Clinical Studies

Before medicines are approved, they must go through several clinical studies in which thousands of people are given a particular medicine and are then compared to a group of people not given the medicine. In these studies, the side effects are always documented. As a result, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine.
 
For people taking Enbrel, depression was a reported side effect occurring in less than 1.5 percent of people taking Enbrel.
 

Enbrel and Depression: What Should You Look For?

Depression is extremely common in society today. In fact, in any given one-year period, 9.5 percent of the population (about 18.8 million American adults) has depression. Therefore, knowing the symptoms of depression can be helpful.
 
Possible depression symptoms may include:
 
  • Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
  • Feelings of hopelessness and pessimism
  • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and helplessness
  • Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
  • Decreased energy; fatigue; feeling "slowed down"
  • Difficulty concentrating, remembering, and making decisions
  • Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping
  • Appetite and/or weight loss, or overeating and weight gain
  • Thoughts of death or suicide and suicide attempts
  • Restlessness and irritability
  • Persistent physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain, that do not respond to treatment.
     
Keep in mind that there are other conditions that can share similar symptoms with depression.
 
(Enbrel and Depression Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;