Some statistically significant differences between citalopram and other antidepressants for the acute phase treatment of major depression were found in terms of efficacy , tolerability and acceptability .
Citalopram was more efficacious than paroxetine and reboxetine and more acceptable than tricyclics , reboxetine and venlafaxine , however , it seemed to be less efficacious than escitalopram .
BACKGROUND Recent US and UK clinical practice guidelines recommend that second-generation antidepressants should be considered amongst the best first-line options when drug therapy is indicated for a depressive episode .
Systematic review s have already highlighted some differences in efficacy between second-generation antidepressants .
Citalopram , one of the first selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRI ) introduced in the market , is one of these antidepressant drugs that clinicians use for routine depression care .
OBJECTIVES To assess the evidence for the efficacy , acceptability and tolerability of citalopram in comparison with tricyclics , heterocyclics , other SSRIs and other conventional and non-conventional antidepressants in the acute-phase treatment of major depression .
Polymorphism of the 5-HT transporter and response to antidepressants: randomised controlled trial.
BACKGROUND Antidepressants exhibit a variety of pharmacological actions including inhibition of the serotonin and noradrenaline transporters . We wished to investigate whether genetic variation could be used to target or personalise treatment , in a comparison of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) with noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors ( NARIs ) . AIMS To test the hypothesis that patients homozygous for the long ( insertion ) polymorphism of the serotonin transporter ( 5-HTTLPR ) have an increased response to SSRI antidepressants but not to NARI antidepressants . METHOD In an individually r and omised , parallel-group controlled trial , people meeting criteria for a depressive episode who were referred by their general practitioner were r and omised to receive either citalopram ( an SSRI ) or reboxetine ( an NARI ) . R and omisation was by means of a remote automated system accessed by telephone . The main outcome was depressive symptoms , measured by Beck Depression Inventory ( BDI ) total score 6 weeks after r and omisation . The trial was registered with the International St and ard R and omised Controlled Trials Number registry ( IS RCT N31345163 ) . RESULTS Altogether 298 participants were r and omised to receive citalopram and 303 were r and omised to reboxetine . At 6 weeks follow-up , complete data were available for 258 participants taking citalopram and 262 taking reboxetine . We found no evidence to support an influence of 5-HTTLPR on outcome following antidepressant treatment . The interaction term for BDI score at 6 weeks was 0.50 ( 95 % CI -2.04 to 3.03 , P = 0.70 ) , which indicated that responses to the SSRI and NARI were similar irrespective of 5-HTTLPR genotype . CONCLUSIONS It is unlikely that the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism alone will be clinical ly useful in predicting response to antidepressants in people with depression
Some statistically significant differences between citalopram and other antidepressants for the acute phase treatment of major depression were found in terms of efficacy , tolerability and acceptability .
Citalopram was more efficacious than paroxetine and reboxetine and more acceptable than tricyclics , reboxetine and venlafaxine , however , it seemed to be less efficacious than escitalopram .
BACKGROUND Recent US and UK clinical practice guidelines recommend that second-generation antidepressants should be considered amongst the best first-line options when drug therapy is indicated for a depressive episode .
Systematic review s have already highlighted some differences in efficacy between second-generation antidepressants .
Citalopram , one of the first selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRI ) introduced in the market , is one of these antidepressant drugs that clinicians use for routine depression care .
OBJECTIVES To assess the evidence for the efficacy , acceptability and tolerability of citalopram in comparison with tricyclics , heterocyclics , other SSRIs and other conventional and non-conventional antidepressants in the acute-phase treatment of major depression .