| Abstrakt: |
Approximately 20 million patients suffer from major depressive disorder each year, indicating a need for antidepressant agents that are synonymous with effectiveness, tolerability and patient compliance. The authors examined the effects of fluvoxamine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, in the treatment of outpatients meeting DSMIIIR criteria for major depressive disorder. A randomized, doubleblind, parallel group, placebo and imipraminecontrolled single center study was conducted in 150 outpatients. Patients were randomized to receive up to 150 mgday of fluvoxamine as a single bedtime dose, 240 mgday of imipramine on a twicedaily BID schedule, or placebo for six weeks. Efficacy measurements included HAMD, MADRS, CGI, RaskinCovi and SCL56 scales. The HAMD total score indicated that both active treatment groups showed significantly p≤ 0.05 greater therapeutic benefit than did placebo. Severely depressed patients HAMD ≥ 30 responded better to fluvoxamine in five of six measures. Sideeffects from fluvoxamine were similar to those reported for other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors nausea, somnolence and were well tolerated. Imipramine was associated with anticholinergic effects such as dry mouth and dizziness. The pharmacokinetic properties of fluvoxamine which allow the drug to be administered as a single daily dose should aid in the maintenance of patient compliance, while offering significant clinical benefit in the improvement of depressive symptoms. |
