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 .
Efficacy and response time to sertraline versus fluoxetine in the treatment of unipolar major depressive disorder.
BACKGROUND Few studies have compared the treatment efficacy of the 2 selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors sertraline and fluoxetine . METHOD A r and omized , single-blind , parallel-group study of 10 weeks ' duration comparing the efficacy of sertraline , 50 mg/day ; sertraline , 100 mg/day ; and fluoxetine , 20 mg/day , was conducted in 44 psychiatric out patients with DSM-IV unipolar major depressive disorder . Antidepressant dosages were doubled at 6 weeks for subjects who had not achieved remission . Primary outcome measurements included the 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression ( HAM-D ) and the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement scale ( CGI-I ) , with scores of < or = 7 on the HAM-D and < or = 2 on the CGI-I representing a positive treatment response , i.e. , remission . RESULTS At 4 weeks , significant differences in rate of positive treatment response were noted , with 0 % for sertraline , 50 mg ; 46 % for sertraline , 100 mg ; and 31 % for fluoxetine , 20 mg ( p = .023 ) . At 6 weeks , positive treatment response rates were 21 % , 43 % , and 31 % for subjects taking 50 mg of sertraline , those taking 100 mg of sertraline , and those taking 20 mg of fluoxetine , respectively , with treatment groups no longer differing significantly from each other . In subjects for whom antidepressant dose was doubled at week 6 , response rates at week 10 ( 4 weeks on increased dose ) were 40 % for sertraline , 100 mg ; 43 % for sertraline , 200 mg ; and 55 % for fluoxetine , 40 mg . CONCLUSION Subjects taking sertraline , 100 mg , and  fluoxetine , 20 mg , demonstrated an earlier treatment response compared with subjects taking sertraline , 50 mg . For patients without a positive response at 6 weeks , an increased antidepressant dose result ed in remission for a substantial proportion of patients when assessed 4 weeks later
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 .