SSRIs significantly increase the risk of both serious and non-serious adverse events .
The potential small beneficial effects seem to be outweighed by harmful effects .
Background The evidence on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) for major depressive disorder is unclear .
Methods Our objective was to conduct a systematic review assessing the effects of SSRIs versus placebo , ‘ active ’ placebo , or no intervention in adult participants with major depressive disorder .
Double-blind comparison of citalopram and placebo in depressed outpatients with melancholia.
This multicenter study compared the efficacy and safety of citalopram and placebo in a population of moderately to severely depressed patients with melancholia . This r and omized , double-blind , parallel-group study compared citalopram ( flexible dose ; 20 - 80 mg/day ) with placebo in 180 psychiatric out patients with a DSM-III diagnosis of major depression or bipolar disorder , depressed , who also met DSM-III criteria for melancholia . Following a 1-week placebo washout period , patients meeting study entry criteria were r and omized to 4 weeks of double-blind treatment with either citalopram or placebo .  Efficacy measures included the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression ( HAM-D ) , the Clinical Global Impressions ( CGI ) Scale , and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale . Patients treated with citalopram showed significantly greater improvement at endpoint than placebo patients on the HAM-D , CGI , and Zung scales . On the HAM-D , citalopram patients exhibited significantly greater improvement than placebo patients after 1 week of double-blind treatment and at all subsequent study visits . Endpoint analyses of the HAM-D subscales demonstrated that citalopram produced significant improvement of the psychomotor retardation , cognitive disturbance , sleep disturbance , and melancholia symptom clusters . Nausea , dry mouth , somnolence , dizziness , and increased sweating were reported at higher rates by citalopram-treated patients than by placebo-treated patients , but there were no significant citalopram-placebo differences in the incidence of activation ( e.g. , anxiety , nervousness , insomnia ) or sexual dysfunction . Analysis of electrocardiograms , vital signs , and laboratory tests did not reveal any clinical ly significant effects of citalopram treatment . The results of this study indicate that citalopram is safe and effective in the treatment of depressed patients with melancholia , and is associated with a favorable side effect profile and a potentially rapid onset of action
SSRIs significantly increase the risk of both serious and non-serious adverse events .
The potential small beneficial effects seem to be outweighed by harmful effects .
Background The evidence on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) for major depressive disorder is unclear .
Methods Our objective was to conduct a systematic review assessing the effects of SSRIs versus placebo , ‘ active ’ placebo , or no intervention in adult participants with major depressive disorder .