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 .
Antidepressant efficacy and quality of life in depression: a double‐blind study with moclobemide and fluoxetine
The efficacy of moclobemide ( 300–450 mg7sol;day ) was compared with fluoxetine ( 20–40 mg/day ) in a double‐blind , multicentre study in 209 patients with new episodes of depression selected from 612 consecutive depressed patients representative of those consulting psychiatric services in Finl and .  Antidepressant efficacy was assessed with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale ( HDRS ) , Montgomery‐Åsberg Depression Rating Scale and Clinical Global Impression ( CGI ) . The Medical Outcome Study Short‐form General Health Survey ( SF‐20 ) and 15D Measure of Quality of Life were used to measure effectiveness in terms of health‐related quality of life . Efficacy was evident with both drug treatments , with 67 % in the moclobemide group and 57 % in the fluoxetine group having a reduction in HDRS of more than 50 % . Similarly , 77 % of the patients in the moclobemide group and 67 % in the fluoxetine group were assessed on the CGI as much better or very much better after 6 weeks of treatment . The most commonly reported adverse events were nausea , other gastrointestinal symptoms , nervousness , dizziness and sleep disorders . Nausea was significantly more common in the fluoxetine group and was found especially in women . Premature terminations of treatment were 18 % in the moclobemide and 21 % in the fluoxetine group . A significant change for the better in quality of life was found in both treatment groups , even at week 2 but especially after 6 weeks of treatment . Improvement was not only seen in dimensions measuring depression or mental health but also in other dimensions
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 .