title: Comparative efficacy of sertraline vs. fluoxetine in patients age 70 or over with major depression.
abstract: Using data from a larger 12-week clinical trial, the authors evaluated the comparative efficacy and safety of sertraline (n=42) and fluoxetine (n=33) in patients over age 70 with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder. Similar improvement on measures of depression, including remission of depressive symptoms, was evident, although significantly more sertraline-treated patients achieved a criterion clinical response. Significantly greater improvement for the sertraline group was apparent on the Digit Symbol Substitution Test, but not on two other measures of cognitive functioning. Although there was no difference in the rate of adverse events experienced, fluoxetine-treated patients lost significantly more body weight over the 12-week trial than did sertraline-treated patients, whereas the latter group exhibited significantly more "shaking. "
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University Medical School, USA.
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Finkel
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Clary
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Batzar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011788:Quality of Life; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020280:Sertraline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D005473:Fluoxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D020280:Sertraline