A comparison of paroxetine, imipramine and placebo in depressed out-patients.
To compare the safety and antidepressant efficacy of paroxetine, imipramine, and placebo, data from six centres using the same protocol were pooled. A double-blind parallel-group design was used, with therapy lasting six weeks. From week 2 onwards, both the 240 paroxetine-treated and the 237 imipramine-treated patients were significantly different from the 240 placebo-treated patients, but no different from each other. Side-effects with paroxetine were less likely to lead to drop-out than with imipramine. Paroxetine had a possible earlier antidepressant effect than imipramine, and a possible earlier beneficial effect on anxiety symptoms associated with depression.
Dunbar
G C
GC
CNS Therapeutic Unit, Clinical Research and Development, SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, Long Beach.
Cohn
J B
JB
Fabre
L F
LF
Feighner
J P
JP
Fieve
R R
RR
Mendels
J
J
Shrivastava
R K
RK
D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007099:Imipramine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017374:Paroxetine; D010556:Personality Tests; D010880:Piperidines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D010880:Piperidines; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D017374:Paroxetine; D007099:Imipramine