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 .
A randomized, double-blind, 24‐week study of escitalopram (10 mg/day) versus citalopram (20 mg/day) in primary care patients with major depressive disorder*
ABSTRACT Objective : A r and omized , double-blind , 24‐week fixed-dose study comparing the efficacy and safety of escitalopram to that of citalopram was conducted in primary care patients with moderate to severe major depressive disorder ( MDD ) . Research design and methods : This was a r and omized , double-blind , 24‐week fixed-dose study . Patients were r and omly assigned to treatment with escitalopram 10 mg/day ( n = 175 ) or citalopram 20 mg/day ( n = 182 ) . Clinical response was evaluated using the Montgomery – Åsberg Depression Rating Scale ( MADRS ) and Clinical Global Impression-Severity ( CGI‐S ) scale . The prospect ively defined primary parameter of antidepressant efficacy was the change from baseline in the mean MADRS total score during the 24 weeks of double-blind treatment , using a repeated measures analysis of variance to compare the treatment groups over all assessment points simultaneously . Results : Based on the primary parameter , escitalopram was at least as efficacious as citalopram . Based on the prospect ively defined secondary parameter , mean change from baseline in the CGI‐S score  , escitalopram was statistically significantly superior to citalopram at Week 24 . The importance of long-term treatment could be demonstrated , in that more than half ( 55 % and 51 % ) of the patients who had not responded by Week 8 achieved remission by Week 24 . Both escitalopram and citalopram were safe and well tolerated in acute and long-term treatment , and the overall adverse event profiles for the two drugs were similar . For the intent-to-treat population , there were statistically significantly fewer withdrawals in the escitalopram group than in the citalopram group , particularly after Week 8 . Conclusion : Patients with MDD responded well to long-term treatment with either escitalopram or citalopram . This study demonstrated the importance of extending treatment of depression beyond 8 weeks
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 .