Conclusions : International differences in prescriber behaviour may influence , and in turn be influenced by , the conduct of clinical trials .
Objective : International differences are thought to exist in dosages used by clinicians treating mood disorders .
This study examined international dosage differences in antidepressant clinical trials , using a data base formed and maintained as a component of a Cochrane review of comparative clinical trials of fluoxetine .
Gender differences in the efficacy of fluoxetine and maprotiline in depressed patients: a double-blind trial of antidepressants with serotonergic or norepinephrinergic reuptake inhibition profile
BACKGROUND Depression has emerged as a contrastive area of gender differences in psychiatry , as epidemiological data has consistently shown depression is twice as common in women as men . The pharmacodynamic effect of antidepressants may also show gender differences , as suggested by reports of better response of young women to non-tricyclic antidepressants . METHODS The antidepressive effect of an SSRI ( fluoxetine ) and a tetracyclic antidepressant with selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitory effect ( maprotiline ) was compared in a 6-week , double-blind trial of 105 depressed patients . RESULTS No significant difference was observed in the change of HAMD17 total score from baseline to week 6 between fluoxetine- and maprotiline-treated patients . A significant difference was observed in females ( fluoxetine , -17.8 ; maprotiline , -13.9 ; P=0.017 ) between treatment groups , but not in males . Amongst females , the difference was significant in women aged < 44 years  ( fluoxetine , -18.4 ; maprotiline , -12.9 ; P=0.023 ) but not > or = 44 years . CONCLUSIONS Females in their reproductive period are more responsive to SSRI ( fluoxetine ) than norepinephrinergic tetracyclic antidepressant ( maprotiline ) treatment . Normal cyclical ovulation , and estrogen release may have a clinical ly relevant pharmacodynamic interaction with serotonergic antidepressants
Conclusions : International differences in prescriber behaviour may influence , and in turn be influenced by , the conduct of clinical trials .
Objective : International differences are thought to exist in dosages used by clinicians treating mood disorders .
This study examined international dosage differences in antidepressant clinical trials , using a data base formed and maintained as a component of a Cochrane review of comparative clinical trials of fluoxetine .