Cognitive therapy versus fluoxetine in the treatment of dysthymic disorder.
We studied the effects of a fixed dose of fluoxetine (20 mg) or cognitive psychotherapy in a 16 week trial of patients with dysthymic disorder. More patients assigned to fluoxetine dropped out of the 16 week treatment (33%) than those assigned to cognitive therapy (9%), but this difference did not attain statistical significance. Both treatments showed improvement over baseline conditions at 8 weeks and further improvement at 16 weeks. There were no statistically significant group differences in treatment response. No follow-up data were collected so the enduring effects of the treatments are unknown. An optimal treatment for dysthymic disorder may be combined psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for a longer period of time.
Dunner
D L
DL
Outpatient Psychiatry Center, Seattle, WA 98105-6099, USA.
Schmaling
K B
KB
Hendrickson
H
H
Becker
J
J
Lehman
A
A
Bea
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D019263:Dysthymic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D005473:Fluoxetine