Effects of SSRIs on peripheral inflammatory markers in patients with major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

•Data from 22 eligible studies including 827 MDD patients were included in the meta-analysis.•SSRI treatment decreased peripheral levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-10.•There were no significant treatment effects on levels of IL-2, IL-4, or IFN-γ.•There was a high level of heterogeneity between studies.•However, sensitivity analyses indicated the robustness of the meta-analysis.