Mirtazapine was significantly more effective than a serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor ( venlafaxine only , two trials , n = 415 ) at two weeks ( OR 2.29 , 95 % CI 1.45 to 3.59 ) and at the end of acute-phase treatment ( OR 1.53 , 95 % CI 1.03 to 2.25).In terms of dropouts , there was no robust evidence to detect a difference between mirtazapine and other antidepressants .
Mirtazapine was more likely to cause weight gain or increased appetite and somnolence than SSRIs but less likely to cause nausea or vomiting and sexual dysfunction .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Some statistically significant and possibly clinical ly meaningful differences between mirtazapine and other antidepressive agents were found for the acute-phase treatment of major depression .
Mirtazapine is likely to have a faster onset of action than SSRIs during the acute-phase treatment .
Dropouts occur similarly in participants treated with mirtazapine and those treated with other antidepressants , although the adverse event profile of mirtazapine is unique
BACKGROUND Mirtazapine has a unique mechanism of antidepressive action and is one of the commonly used antidepressants in clinical practice .
OBJECTIVES The aim of the present review was to assess the evidence on the efficacy and acceptability of mirtazapine compared with other antidepressive agents in the acute-phase treatment of major depression in adults .
A double‐blind multicenter trial comparing sertraline and citalopram in patients with major depression treated in general practice
The purpose of this double-blind , multicenter trial was to compare the efficacy and safety of sertraline ( 50–150 ing/day ) with those of citalopram ( 20–60 mg/day ) in patients with major depression in general practice during 24 weeks of treatment . The patients were assessed using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale and the Clinical Global Impressions of severity and improvement scales . Observed and spontaneously reported adverse events were recorded and side-effects were assessed by means of the UKU Side-Effect Scale .  Altogether 400 patients were r and omized into the study . A total of 308 patients completed the 24-week study in accordance with the protocol . A significant reduction in the total Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale scores was observed in both treatment groups as early as 2 weeks , with no statistically significant differences between the drugs . In the intention to treat-lust observation carried forward analysis 76 % responded to treatment in the sertraline and 81 % in the citalopram group . The final mean doses were 82 mg/day ( 64 % higher than baseline ) in the sertraline group and 34 mg/day ( 70 % higher than baseline ) in the citalopram group . The response rate in completers in accordance with protocol was 90 % in the sertraline group and 93 % in the citalopram group . The side-effects were those usually seen , and both sertraline and citalopram were considered to be well tolerated . It was concluded that patients with major depression in general practice  respond well to 24 weeks of treatment with sertraline or citalopram . With regard to efficacy , no statistically significant differences were found between the drugs
Mirtazapine was significantly more effective than a serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor ( venlafaxine only , two trials , n = 415 ) at two weeks ( OR 2.29 , 95 % CI 1.45 to 3.59 ) and at the end of acute-phase treatment ( OR 1.53 , 95 % CI 1.03 to 2.25).In terms of dropouts , there was no robust evidence to detect a difference between mirtazapine and other antidepressants .
Mirtazapine was more likely to cause weight gain or increased appetite and somnolence than SSRIs but less likely to cause nausea or vomiting and sexual dysfunction .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Some statistically significant and possibly clinical ly meaningful differences between mirtazapine and other antidepressive agents were found for the acute-phase treatment of major depression .
Mirtazapine is likely to have a faster onset of action than SSRIs during the acute-phase treatment .
Dropouts occur similarly in participants treated with mirtazapine and those treated with other antidepressants , although the adverse event profile of mirtazapine is unique
BACKGROUND Mirtazapine has a unique mechanism of antidepressive action and is one of the commonly used antidepressants in clinical practice .
OBJECTIVES The aim of the present review was to assess the evidence on the efficacy and acceptability of mirtazapine compared with other antidepressive agents in the acute-phase treatment of major depression in adults .