There were some beneficial effects compared to placebo or antidepressants but tolerability was worse .
Quetiapine was more effective than placebo treatment .
Aripiprazole and quetiapine and partly also olanzapine and risperidone augmentation showed beneficial effects compared to placebo .
Some evidence indicated beneficial effects of low-dose amisulpride for dysthymic people .
Most SGAs showed worse tolerability
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder ( MDD ) is a common condition with a lifetime prevalence of 15 % to 18 % , which leads to considerable suffering and disability .
Some antipsychotics have been reported to induce remission in major depression , when added to an antidepressant .
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effects of second-generation antipsychotic ( SGA ) drugs ( alone or augmentation ) compared with placebo or antidepressants for people with MDD or dysthymia .
Efficacy and tolerability of extended release quetiapine fumarate (quetiapine XR) monotherapy in major depressive disorder: a placebo-controlled, randomized study.
BACKGROUND Evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of extended release quetiapine fumarate ( quetiapine XR ) once-daily monotherapy for patients with major depressive disorder ( MDD ) . METHODS In this 10-week , ( 8-week active treatment phase and 2-week drug-discontinuation/tapering phase ) , multicenter , parallel-group , placebo-controlled , double-blind , r and omized , Phase III study ( D1448C00003 : Opal ) , patients initially received quetiapine XR 150 mg/day or placebo . At Week 2 , inadequate responders ( < 20 % reduction in MADRS total score ) were up-titrated to 300 mg/day quetiapine XR or matching placebo for the final 6 weeks . Primary endpoint : change from r and omization to Week 8 in MADRS total score . Secondary endpoints included : MADRS response ( ≥50 % reduction in total score from r and omization ) and changes from r and omization to Week 8 in HAM-D and CGI-S. RESULTS 310 patients were r and omized . At Week 8 , quetiapine XR significantly reduced mean MADRS total score versus placebo ( -16.49 vs -13.10 , respectively ; p<0.01 ) . Mean MADRS score was significantly reduced by quetiapine XR versus placebo at Week 1 ( p<0.05 ) . MADRS response rates were significantly greater at Week 8 for quetiapine XR versus placebo ( 61.9 % vs 48.0 % , respectively ; p<0.05 ) . Significant changes in HAM-D total score and CGI-S were seen at Week 8 for quetiapine XR versus placebo . Withdrawal rates due to AEs were 9.9 % and 2.6 % for quetiapine XR and placebo , respectively . Common AEs ( > 10 % any group during the r and omized phase ) for quetiapine XR and placebo , respectively were dry mouth ( 32.9 % and 6.5 % ) , sedation ( 21.7 % and 1.9 % ) , somnolence ( 20.4 % and 5.2 % ) , and headache ( 10.5 % and 10.3 % ) . LIMITATIONS The study was not design ed to compare quetiapine XR 150 mg/day and 300 mg/day ; it was intended to reflect dose titration that might occur in clinical practice . CONCLUSIONS Quetiapine XR monotherapy is effective in patients with MDD , with symptom improvement seen as early as Week 1 , and tolerability results consistent with the known profile of quetiapine
There were some beneficial effects compared to placebo or antidepressants but tolerability was worse .
Quetiapine was more effective than placebo treatment .
Aripiprazole and quetiapine and partly also olanzapine and risperidone augmentation showed beneficial effects compared to placebo .
Some evidence indicated beneficial effects of low-dose amisulpride for dysthymic people .
Most SGAs showed worse tolerability
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder ( MDD ) is a common condition with a lifetime prevalence of 15 % to 18 % , which leads to considerable suffering and disability .
Some antipsychotics have been reported to induce remission in major depression , when added to an antidepressant .
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the effects of second-generation antipsychotic ( SGA ) drugs ( alone or augmentation ) compared with placebo or antidepressants for people with MDD or dysthymia .