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 .
The use of referenced-EEG (rEEG) in assisting medication selection for the treatment of depression.
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of rEEG( ® )-guided pharmacotherapy for the treatment of depression in those circumstances where rEEG and STAR*D provided different recommendations . MATERIAL S AND METHODS This was a r and omized , single-blind , parallel group , 12 center , US study of rEEG-guided pharmacotherapy vs. the most effective treatment regimens reported in the NIH sponsored STAR*D study . Relatively treatment-resistant subjects ≥18 years who failed one or more antidepressants were required to have a QIDS-16-SR score ≥13 and a MADRS score ≥26 at baseline . All subjects underwent a washout of all current medications ( with some protocol -specified exceptions ) for at least five half-lives before receiving a QEEG and rEEG report . Subjects r and omized to rEEG were assigned a regimen based on the rEEG report . Control subjects who had failed only SSRI 's in their current episode were r and omized to receive venlafaxine XR .  Control subjects who had failed antidepressants from ≥2 classes of antidepressants were r and omized to receive a regimen from Steps 2 - 4 of the STAR*D study . Treatment lasted 12 weeks . The primary outcome measures were change from baseline for self-rated QIDS-SR16 and Q-LES-Q-SF . RESULTS A total of 114 subjects were r and omized and 89 subjects were evaluable . rEEG-guided pharmacotherapy exhibited significantly greater improvement for both primary endpoints , QIDS-SR16 ( -6.8 vs. -4.5 , p<0.0002 ) and Q-LES-Q-SF ( 18.0 vs. 8.9 , p<0.0002 ) compared to control , respectively , as well as statistical superiority in 9 out of 12 secondary endpoints . CONCLUSIONS These results warrant additional studies to determine the role of rEEG-guided psychopharmacology in the treatment of depression . If these results were confirmed , rEEG-guided pharmacotherapy would represent an easy , relatively inexpensive , predictive , objective office procedure that builds upon clinical judgment to guide antidepressant medication choice
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 .