title: Alprazolam, diazepam, imipramine, and placebo in outpatients with major depression.
abstract: Two hundred forty-one outpatients with a DSM-III diagnosis of major depressive disorder participated in a six-week double-blind therapeutic trial of alprazolam, diazepam, imipramine hydrochloride, and placebo. Side effects were given as a major reason for attrition by patients taking the three active compounds and ineffectiveness was the reason given by patients taking placebo. Imipramine-treated patients reported the most and placebo patients the least number of adverse effects. Imipramine and alprazolam, but not diazepam, produced significantly more improvement in depressed symptomatology than did placebo. Mean diazepam scores frequently assumed an intermediate position between those of imipramine or alprazolam and placebo. These treatment differences were found to be independent of initial severity levels of anxiety and depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rickels
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: I B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Csanalosi
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hurowitz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: London
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wiseman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Amsterdam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000525:Alprazolam / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003975:Diazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007099:Imipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D010919:Placebos; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D007099:Imipramine; D003975:Diazepam; D000525:Alprazolam