title: Columbia atypical depression. A subgroup of depressives with better response to MAOI than to tricyclic antidepressants or placebo.
abstract: We summarise a series of studies using a MAOI to help establish the validity of a subgroup of depressives referred to as atypical depressives. Patients with reactive mood meeting DSM-III criteria for depressive illness who had associated atypical features (which include hyperphagia, hypersomnolence, leaden paralysis, and rejection sensitivity) were randomised to imipramine, phenelzine and placebo. Non-responders were crossed over, and in all there were over 400 patient trials. Phenelzine consistently was found to be superior to imipramine. Only in trials which included patients lacking atypical, vegetative symptoms was imipramine found to equal phenelzine. We conclude that the researcher and the clinician should consider the relevance of the atypical depressive syndrome.
authors.affiliation: New York State Psychiatric Institute, NY.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Quitkin
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tricamo
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Rabkin
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ocepek-Welikson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007099:Imipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010624:Phenelzine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010919:Placebos; D011336:Probability; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D010919:Placebos; D010624:Phenelzine; D007099:Imipramine