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 .
Intravenous Augmentative Citalopram Versus Clomipramine in Partial/Nonresponder Depressed Patients: A Short-Term, Low Dose, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study
Abstract The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of short-term low-dose intravenous augmentative citalopram ( 10mg/d ) versus clomipramine ( 25 mg/d ) versus placebo in a sample of patients with MDE and partial or no response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) . Fifty-four patients with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , Fourth Edition , Text Revision , MDE and partial or no response to SSRIs per os ( 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [ HAM-D21 ] score reduction , < 50 % or ≤25 % , respectively , compared with pretreatment scores ) were selected and r and omized to citalopram ( n = 18 ) , clomipramine ( n = 18 ) , or placebo ( n = 18 ) intravenous augmentation . The augmentation regimen lasted 5 days during which patients were maintained on their previous treatment with oral SSRIs . Analyses of variance with repeated measures on HAM-D21 , collected daily in blind-raters design , were performed to detect any change of depressive symptoms between the 3 groups . In addition , the number of responders and remitters was computed in the 3 groups of treatment . At end point , a significant treatment effect ( F= 4.57 ; P = 0.015 ) and time-by-treatment effect ( F = 11.22 ; P < 0.0001 ) were found on HAM-D21 total scores in favor of citalopram and clomipramine versus placebo , with a superiority of citalopram over clomipramine on overall symptoms ( P = 0.05 ) as well as on anxiety-somatization symptoms ( P = 0.027 ) . The number of responders was significantly superior in the active treatment groups versus the placebo group ( χ22 = 16.36 ; P < 0.0001 ) . The same result was found , considering the number of remitters ( χ22 = 13.50 ; P < 0.0001 ) . Present findings suggest that both clomipramine and citalopram intravenous augmentation at low doses and for a short period are well tolerated and superior  to  placebo in major depressives with partial or no response to oral SSRIs with a possible superiority of citalopram over clomipramine with regard to anxiety-somatization symptoms . The lack of double-blind conditions and the limited sample size may limit the confidence in the reported results , and larger r and omized controlled trials are warranted to confirm the present findings
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 .