Conclusions : According to the published literature , the clinimetric properties of HAM-D6 are superior to those of both the HAM-D17 and MADRS .
Background : In a study aim ed at identifying the items carrying information regarding the global severity of depression , the 6-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale ( HAM-D6 ) was derived from the original 17-item version of the scale ( HAM-D17 ) .
Since then , the HAM-D6 has been used in a wide range of clinical studies .
We now provide a systematic review of the clinimetric properties of HAM-D6 in comparison with those of HAM-D17 and the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale ( MADRS ) .
Mirtazapine is more effective than trazodone: a double‐blind controlled study in hospitalized patients with major depression
Two hundred hospitalized patients with DSM-III diagnosis of moderate to severe major depressive episode were r and omized to receive mirtazapine or trazodone for 6 weeks in a double-blind trial . The dosages were 24–72 mg/day for mirtazapine and 150–450 mg/day for trazodone . The improvement on all depression rating scales used was generally greater for mirtazapine , wish statistically significant differences over trazodone in the Hamilton Psychiatric Rating Scale for Depression total score and two subscores ( the Bech melancholia factor and retardation factor ) , the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale total score , the General Psychiatric Impression Global Assessment Scale , the Beck score and responder rates . Mirtazapine was well tolerated , while the trazodone-treated patients experienced somnolence more frequently , particularly during the first 2 weeks of treatment . Furthermore , postural symptoms were a clinical problem in > ' 6 % of the trazodone-treated patients . In this trial , mirtazapine showed significant clinical advantages over trazodone in terms of overall efficacy and tolerability
Conclusions : According to the published literature , the clinimetric properties of HAM-D6 are superior to those of both the HAM-D17 and MADRS .
Background : In a study aim ed at identifying the items carrying information regarding the global severity of depression , the 6-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale ( HAM-D6 ) was derived from the original 17-item version of the scale ( HAM-D17 ) .
Since then , the HAM-D6 has been used in a wide range of clinical studies .
We now provide a systematic review of the clinimetric properties of HAM-D6 in comparison with those of HAM-D17 and the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale ( MADRS ) .