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 .
Escitalopram versus placebo in the treatment of dysthymic disorder
Numerous studies have assessed the acute efficacy of antidepressants , including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors , in treating dysthymic disorder ; however , escitalopram , the S-enantiomer of citalopram , has not been studied . Thirty-six out patients with Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R-diagnosed dysthymic disorder , aged 23–65 years ( mean±SD=44.7±11 years ) , were r and omly assigned to double-blind escitalopram ( maximum dose 20 mg/day ) versus placebo for 12 weeks . Inclusion criteria included age 18–65 years and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale ( HDRS ) score ≥12 . We hypothesized that escitalopram would be superior to placebo in the HDRS-24 item total score at week 12 . We also hypothesized the superiority of escitalopram over placebo for secondary measures , including the percentage of participants classified as responders and remitters , as well as social functioning ( Social Adjustment Scale ) , clinical global impression-improvement , Global Assessment of Functioning Scale . Participants ' baseline HDRS-24 averaged 23.4±5.9 . Final HDRS-24 scores at last observation carried forward did not differ significantly between escitalopram-treated  ( mean±SD=10.88±5.83 ) and placebo-treated  individuals ( mean±SD=16.4±6.34 ) ( F=2.82 , degrees of freedom=1,32 , P=0.10 ) . Significant differences favoring active medication were found on the Social Adjustment Scale and the Clinical Global Impression Severity and Global Assessment of Functioning Scale , but not in the percentages of responders or remitters . A larger study sample or higher escitalopram dose may show more significant placebo – medication differences
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 .