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 .
The Norwegian naturalistic treatment study of depression in general practice (NORDEP)—I: randomised double blind study
Abstract Objective : To evaluate the efficacy of emotional support and counselling combined with placebo or antidepressants with single or dual mechanism of action in the treatment of depression in primary care . Design : R and omised double blind study . Setting : Several locations in Norway . Subjects : 372 patients with depression . Main outcome measures : Improvement ( clinical remission ) reported both by the patient ( Montgomery Åsberg depression rating scale ) and the physician ( clinical global improvement and impression scales ) . Results : Intention to treat analyses showed 47 % remission in patients r and omised to placebo compared with 61 % remission in patients r and omised to sertraline ( odds ratio 0.56 , 95 % confidence interval 0.33 to 0.96 ) and 54 % in patients r and omised to mianserin ( 0.75 , 0.44 to 1.27 ) . Women responded  better than men ( 1.86 , 1.17 to 2.96 ) . Subgroup analyses showed that subjects with recurrent depression ( n=273 ) responded more frequently to sertraline than to placebo ( 0.43 , 0.23 to 0.82 ) than those having their first episode of depression ( 1.18 , 0.39 to 3.61 ) . Statistically significant interactions between type of drug treatment and history of depression were not shown by logistic regression . Conclusion : The combination of active drug and simple psychological treatment ( counselling , emotional support , and close follow up over a 24 week period ) was more effective than simple psychological treatment alone , in particular for those with recurrent depression . Overall , women may benefit more than men . If confirmed in future studies , the findings should lead to more differentiated treatment guidelines for depression in primary care
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 .