title: Pharmacotherapy of dysthymic and chronic depressive disorders: overview with focus on moclobemide.
abstract: Chronic depression was once considered untreatable pharmacologically. Open studies conducted around 1980 demonstrated efficacious results with tricyclics, classical MAOIs and lithium in 45% of cases. The subsequent delineation of dysthymia in DSM-III and its future editions as well as ICD.10, facilitated controlled trials in subjects with "pure dysthymia" and those with superimposed major depression (so-called "double-depression"). TCAs, SSRIs, RIMA, and benzamides have all proven effective in an average of 65% vs. an average of 25% with placebo. Well tolerated compounds--e.g. moclobemide, sertraline and desipramine--may permit the long-term clinical management of this spectrum of dysthymic and related conditions. Patients with "lifetime pure dysthymia" tend to respond more slowly to antidepressants than those with concurrent major depression ("double-depression") or those with "pure dysthymia" but with history of major depressive episodes. Chronicity is now well established: indeed discontinuation of antidepressants in a 4-year maintenance study has resulted in 89% rate of relapse. Dysthymia is a disabling condition and high doses of antidepressants are needed to achieve full recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Institute of Psychiatry, Brazil.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Versiani
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001549:Benzamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D019263:Dysthymic Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007099:Imipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020912:Moclobemide; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010919:Placebos; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D001549:Benzamides; D007099:Imipramine; D020912:Moclobemide; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D010919:Placebos; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors