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 .
A comparative, randomized, double-blind study of trazodone prolonged-release and sertraline in the treatment of major depressive disorder
ABSTRACT Objectives : To evaluate the efficacy and safety of trazodone prolonged-release compared with sertraline in the treatment of patients with major depression . Research design and methods : A total of 122 patients aged 19–64 years were enrolled in this multicenter , double-blind , double-dummy , r and omized , comparator-controlled study . Patients received 7 days of single-blind placebo treatment followed by 6 weeks of double-blind treatment with trazodone prolonged-release 150–450 mg/day ( n = 62 ) or sertraline 50–100 mg/day ( n = 60 ) . Outcome measures : Efficacy was evaluated by mean changes from baseline in the Hamilton Depression Rating scale ( HAM‐D ) , Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale , Hamilton Anxiety Rating scale , and the Clinical Global Impression-Global Improvement/Severity scores ; and by the rates of patients responding to treatment and considered to be in remission . Time to onset of efficacy and safety were assessed . Results : Trazodone and sertraline were equally effective in reducing depressive symptoms and promoting remission , and had similar onset times . In the Intent-to-Treat population , there were no significant differences in favor of trazodone at study endpoint in all efficacy measures , while a statistically significant difference was detected in the Per- Protocol population on HAM‐D and in the percentage of responders . Analysis of HAM‐D factors ( anxiety/somatization , cognitive disturbance , retardation , and sleep disturbance ) indicated that sleep disturbances were significantly less evident for patients taking trazodone at study endpoint . Adverse drug reactions , mostly of mild intensity , were reported in 42 % of trazodone-treated patients ( mainly of the nervous system ) and 43 % of sertraline-treated patients ( mainly gastrointestinal ) . One event was considered to be serious : a patient treated with trazodone 450 mg/day showed moderate anxiety/tremor/insomnia and was hospitalized . Treatment was discontinued ; the patient made a full recovery . Conclusions : This study showed that after 6 weeks , trazodone and sertraline were not different in reducing symptoms of depression and in producing disease remission . Tolerability profiles reflected the differing pharmacological properties of these antidepressants . Trazodone may be a therapeutic option in the treatment of patients with major depression showing prevalent sleep disturbances
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 .