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 .
Comparison of an extract of hypericum (LI 160) and sertraline in the treatment of depression: a double-blind, randomized pilot study.
BACKGROUND Hypericum ( St. John 's wort ) has been shown to be as efficacious and well tolerated as st and ard antidepressants in the treatment of depression but has not been compared with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) . OBJECTIVE This study compared hypericum and the SSRI sertraline in the treatment of depression . METHODS In a double-blind , r and omized study conducted in a community hospital , 30 male and female out patients ( 19 women , 11 men ; mean age , 45.5 years ) with mild to moderate depression received 600 mg/d of a st and ardized extract of hypericum ( LI 160 ) or 50 mg/d sertraline for I week , followed by hypericum 900 mg/d or sertraline 75 mg/d for 6 weeks . RESULTS The severity of symptoms , as assessed by scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression ( HAM-D ) and the Clinical Global Impression scale , was significantly reduced in both treatment groups ( P < 0.01 ) . Clinical response ( defined as a > or = 50 % reduction in HAM-D scores ) was noted in 47 % of patients receiving hypericum and 40 % of those receiving sertraline . The difference was not statistically significant . Both agents were well tolerated . A post hoc power analysis indicated that failure to reach statistical significance between treatments result ed primarily from an absence of clinical differences rather than the small sample size . CONCLUSION The hypericum extract was at least as effective as sertraline in the treatment of mild to moderate depression in a small group of out patients
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 .