Conclusions : International differences in prescriber behaviour may influence , and in turn be influenced by , the conduct of clinical trials .
Objective : International differences are thought to exist in dosages used by clinicians treating mood disorders .
This study examined international dosage differences in antidepressant clinical trials , using a data base formed and maintained as a component of a Cochrane review of comparative clinical trials of fluoxetine .
Fluoxetine in depressed patients: a comparison with imipramine.
The clinical efficacy and safety of fluoxetine and imipramine were compared in a double-blind , 5-week , parallel study in 40 depressed out patients .  Mean scores for most depression scales improved more in patients taking fluoxetine than in those receiving imipramine ( p less than .05 ) . Nine of 16 ( 56 % ) fluoxetine patients who completed the study and 1 of 19 ( 5 % ) imipramine patients were not at all depressed at the end of the study ( p less than .001 ) . Seven fluoxetine patients and 14 imipramine patients reported one or more adverse effects during treatment ; no fluoxetine patient terminated the study early for drug-related reasons . It was concluded that fluoxetine provides effective antidepressant activity with fewer and less troublesome side effects than imipramine
Conclusions : International differences in prescriber behaviour may influence , and in turn be influenced by , the conduct of clinical trials .
Objective : International differences are thought to exist in dosages used by clinicians treating mood disorders .
This study examined international dosage differences in antidepressant clinical trials , using a data base formed and maintained as a component of a Cochrane review of comparative clinical trials of fluoxetine .