Mirtazapine was significantly more effective than a serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor ( venlafaxine only , two trials , n = 415 ) at two weeks ( OR 2.29 , 95 % CI 1.45 to 3.59 ) and at the end of acute-phase treatment ( OR 1.53 , 95 % CI 1.03 to 2.25).In terms of dropouts , there was no robust evidence to detect a difference between mirtazapine and other antidepressants .
Mirtazapine was more likely to cause weight gain or increased appetite and somnolence than SSRIs but less likely to cause nausea or vomiting and sexual dysfunction .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Some statistically significant and possibly clinical ly meaningful differences between mirtazapine and other antidepressive agents were found for the acute-phase treatment of major depression .
Mirtazapine is likely to have a faster onset of action than SSRIs during the acute-phase treatment .
Dropouts occur similarly in participants treated with mirtazapine and those treated with other antidepressants , although the adverse event profile of mirtazapine is unique
BACKGROUND Mirtazapine has a unique mechanism of antidepressive action and is one of the commonly used antidepressants in clinical practice .
OBJECTIVES The aim of the present review was to assess the evidence on the efficacy and acceptability of mirtazapine compared with other antidepressive agents in the acute-phase treatment of major depression in adults .
Prevalence of sexual dysfunction among newer antidepressants.
BACKGROUND Sexual dysfunction commonly occurs during  antidepressant treatment .  However , the reported rates of sexual dysfunction vary across antidepressants and are typically underreported in product literature . The objectives of this study were ( 1 ) to estimate the prevalence of  sexual dysfunction among patients taking newer antidepressants ( bupropion immediate release [ IR ] , bupropion sustained release [ SR ] , citalopram , fluoxetine , mirtazapine , nefazodone , paroxetine , sertraline , venlafaxine , and venlafaxine extended release [ XR ] )  and ( 2 ) to compare physician-perceived with patient-reported prevalence rates of antidepressant-associated sexual dysfunction . METHOD This cross-sectional , observational study was conducted in 1101 U.S. primary care clinics . Adult out patients ( 4534 women and 1763 men ) receiving antidepressant monotherapy were enrolled . The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was measured using the Changes in Sexual Functioning Question naire . RESULTS In the overall population , bupropion IR ( 22 % ) and SR ( 25 % ) and nefazodone ( 28 % ) were associated with the lowest risk for sexual dysfunction , whereas selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor ( SSRI ) antidepressants , mirtazapine , and venlafaxine XR were associated with higher rates ( 36%-43 % ) . In a prospect ively defined sub population unlikely to have predisposing factors for sexual dysfunction , the prevalence of sexual dysfunction ranged from 7 % to 30 % , with the odds of having sexual dysfunction 4 to 6 times greater with SSRIs or venlafaxine XR than with bupropion SR . Physicians consistently underestimated the prevalence of antidepressant-associated sexual dysfunction . CONCLUSION Ours is the first study to assess sexual dysfunction across the newer antidepressants using consistent methodology and a vali date d rating scale . Overall , SSRIs and venlafaxine XR were associated with higher rates of sexual dysfunction than bupropion or nefazodone . Because antidepressant-associated sexual dysfunction is considerably underestimated by physicians , greater recognition and education are imperative when prescribing antidepressant treatment
Mirtazapine was significantly more effective than a serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor ( venlafaxine only , two trials , n = 415 ) at two weeks ( OR 2.29 , 95 % CI 1.45 to 3.59 ) and at the end of acute-phase treatment ( OR 1.53 , 95 % CI 1.03 to 2.25).In terms of dropouts , there was no robust evidence to detect a difference between mirtazapine and other antidepressants .
Mirtazapine was more likely to cause weight gain or increased appetite and somnolence than SSRIs but less likely to cause nausea or vomiting and sexual dysfunction .
AUTHORS ' CONCLUSIONS Some statistically significant and possibly clinical ly meaningful differences between mirtazapine and other antidepressive agents were found for the acute-phase treatment of major depression .
Mirtazapine is likely to have a faster onset of action than SSRIs during the acute-phase treatment .
Dropouts occur similarly in participants treated with mirtazapine and those treated with other antidepressants , although the adverse event profile of mirtazapine is unique
BACKGROUND Mirtazapine has a unique mechanism of antidepressive action and is one of the commonly used antidepressants in clinical practice .
OBJECTIVES The aim of the present review was to assess the evidence on the efficacy and acceptability of mirtazapine compared with other antidepressive agents in the acute-phase treatment of major depression in adults .