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 .
Sertraline is more effective than imipramine in the treatment of non-melancholic depression:: Results from a multicentre, randomized study
The acute treatment efficacy , tolerability , and effects on health-related quality of life of sertraline ( 50 - 200 mg/day ) versus imipramine ( 75 - 225 mg/day ) were compared in out patients with non-melancholic depression . The study employed an open-label , parallel-group design . One hundred and sixteen patients were r and omized to receive sertraline and 123 to receive imipramine for 8 weeks . In the intent-to-treat ( ITT ) , last-observation-carried-forward ( LOCF ) analysis , sertraline produced statistically significantly greater improvements in depressive ( 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [ HAM-D(21 ) ] scores of 24.9 and 24.4 were reduced to 10.3 and 13.1 at endpoint , P<.005 ) and anxiety symptoms ( Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale [ HAM-A ] scores of 21.8 and 21.9 were reduced to 9.5 and 13.9 , P<.01 ) , as well as in response ( 69.0 % versus 53.7 % at endpoint , P=.016 ) and remission rates ( 51.3 % versus 38.0 % at endpoint , P=.041 ) from week 4 onwards compared with imipramine . The proportion of patients who were ' very much improved ' or ' much improved ' ( Clinical Global Impressions Scale of Improvement [ CGI-I ] score of 1 or 2 ) was significantly higher at endpoint in the sertraline group ( 76.1 % ) than in the imipramine group ( 62.8 % ) ( P=.028 ) . At week 8 , patients in both treatment groups showed clear improvements in quality of life , although nonstatistically significant differences were evident in the quality of life of sertraline- versus imipramine-treated patients . Sertraline was significantly superior in tolerability with less discontinuations due to adverse events ( 10.3 % ) compared with the imipramine group ( 24.4 % ) ( P=.004 ) . It was concluded that sertraline is more effective than imipramine in the acute treatment of depressive and anxiety symptoms in patients with non-melancholic depression
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 .