Comparison between a serotonin and a noradrenaline reuptake blocker in the treatment of depressed outpatients. A cross-over study.
Seventy-five outpatients with major depressive disorder (RDC) were randomly referred to treatment with a dominant serotonin (5-HT) reuptake blocker (zimeldine, 100 mg, b.i.d. n = 40) or a dominant noradrenaline (NA) reuptake blocker (maprotiline, 75 mg, b.i.d. n = 35). Seven patients on each drug were non-responders after up to 4 weeks of treatment and were after a washout week crossed over to the other drug for up to another 8 weeks of treatment. There was a significant and similar improvement after 4 weeks of treatment with the second drug. After up to 8 weeks of treatment all patients but one in each group were much improved with the second drug. The existence of two biochemical subgroups of depression is discussed.
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000873:Anthracenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008376:Maprotiline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic / Q000187:drug effects*; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000187:drug effects; D015031:Zimeldine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000873:Anthracenes; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D008376:Maprotiline; D012701:Serotonin; D015031:Zimeldine; D009638:Norepinephrine