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 .
Citalopram reduces endotoxin-induced fatigue
Increased levels of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor ( TNF ) and interleukin-6 ( IL-6 ) may play a role in depression . Mild depressive-like symptoms can be induced in humans through activation of the innate immune system with endotoxin . Whether preventive treatment with antidepressants can reduce endotoxin-induced symptoms has never been tested . In a double-blind , r and omized , placebo-controlled , cross-over study , we administered intravenous low-dose endotoxin ( 0.8 ng/kg ) or placebo to 11 healthy subjects who had received oral pre-treatment with citalopram ( 10 mg twice a day ) or placebo for 5 days . The Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale , the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory , and a visual analog scale were used to measure depressive and anxiety symptoms and social anhedonia . Serum levels of TNF and IL-6 were measured with immunoassays . Compared to placebo , endotoxin administration increased serum levels of TNF and IL-6 , and caused mild depressive-like symptoms , in particular lassitude and social anhedonia . While citalopram pre-treatment had no effect on the innate immune response to endotoxin , it reduced the endotoxin-induced MADRS total score by 50 % , with a moderate effect size ( Cohen 's d=0.5 ) . Most of the MADRS total score was due to the lassitude item , and citalopram pre-treatment specifically reduced endotoxin-induced lassitude with a large effect size ( Cohen 's d=0.9 ) . These results suggest that subchronic pre-treatment with the serotonin-reuptake inhibitor citalopram blunts mood symptoms induced by acute immune system activation with endotoxin without inhibiting the peripheral immune response
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 .