CONCLUSIONS This systematic review provides evidence for the efficacy of both SSRIs and TCAs in the treatment of chronic depression and showed a better acceptability of SSRIs
INTRODUCTION Chronic depression represents a substantial portion of depressive disorders and is associated with severe consequences .
This review examined the efficacy and acceptability of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) and tricyclic antidepressants ( TCAs ) in the treatment of chronic depression .
Additionally , the comparative effectiveness of the two types of antidepressants has been examined .
A randomized double-blind study of fluoxetine versus placebo in the treatment of dysthymia.
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of fluoxetine , a selective serotonergic antidepressant , in the treatment of  dysthymia .  METHOD Thirty-five patients who met criteria for dysthymia , but not major depression , began r and omized , double-blind 8-week trials of fluoxetine or placebo . RESULTS Of 32 patients who completed the study , 10 ( 62.5 % ) of the 16 patients given fluoxetine and three ( 18.8 % ) of the 16 given placebo responded to treatment . Response was defined as 1 ) 50 % or greater decrease in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score and 2 ) a score of 1 or 2 on the Clinical Global Impression ( CGI ) improvement subscale .  Fluoxetine subjects showed significantly greater improvement at week 8 than placebo subjects on the Hamilton depression and CGI scales , but not on the Hopkins Symptom Check-list ( 58-item ) or the Cornell Dysthymia Rating Scale . CONCLUSIONS When compared to placebo , fluoxetine showed short-term effectiveness in treating dysthymic symptoms
CONCLUSIONS This systematic review provides evidence for the efficacy of both SSRIs and TCAs in the treatment of chronic depression and showed a better acceptability of SSRIs
INTRODUCTION Chronic depression represents a substantial portion of depressive disorders and is associated with severe consequences .
This review examined the efficacy and acceptability of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) and tricyclic antidepressants ( TCAs ) in the treatment of chronic depression .
Additionally , the comparative effectiveness of the two types of antidepressants has been examined .