Clonazepam in the treatment of prolonged depression.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this paper was to examine the optimal adjunctive dose of clonazepam for the treatment of prolonged depression.


METHODS
Sixty nine patients with prolonged depression were enrolled in an open trial over a 4 week period during which clonazepam was added to their medication.


RESULTS
A daily dose of 3.0 mg clonazepam as augmentation was significantly more effective than doses of 1.5 mg and below. Most of the improved patients showed a rapid onset of action within 2 weeks, and side effects were not severe.


CONCLUSIONS
A daily dose of at least 3.0 mg clonazepam as augmentation of ongoing antidepressant treatment should be considered in prolonged depressive patients with suboptimal improvement.


CONCLUSIONS
The effect on clonazepam alone on prolonged depression was not established, and its effect of on severe depression is unknown. High dose treatment was not carried out in this study.
Department of Psychiatry, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Japan.
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Morishita
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Aoki
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002998:Clonazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D018757:GABA Modulators / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007099:Imipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D018757:GABA Modulators; D002998:Clonazepam; D007099:Imipramine