title: An open treatment trial of venlafaxine for elderly patients with dysthymic disorder.
abstract: Treatment response and side effects of venlafaxine were evaluated in an open-label trial of elderly outpatients with dysthymic disorder (DD). Patients received flexible dose (up to 300 mg/d) venlafaxine (Effexor XR) for 12 weeks. Of 23 study patients, 18 completed the trial. Fourteen (60.9%) were responders in intent-to-treat analyses with the last observation carried forward, and 77.8% were responders in completer analyses. Nearly half the sample (47.8%) met criteria for remission. In the intent-to-treat sample, increased severity of depression at baseline was associated with superior response, and the presence of cardiovascular disease was associated with poorer response. Venlafaxine open-label treatment was associated with fairly high response rates and generally good tolerability in elderly patients with DD. These results indicate that in elderly patients with DD, placebo-controlled trials of a dual reuptake inhibitor such as venlafaxine would be needed to assess its efficacy or to compare its efficacy to that of other antidepressants.
authors.affiliation: Late Life Depression Clinic and the Department of Biological Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 126, New York, NY 10032, USA. dpd3@columbia.edu
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Devanand
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Juszczak
authors.forename: Mitchell S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Nobler
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Turret
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fitzsimons
authors.forename: Harold A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Sackeim
authors.forename: Steven P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Roose
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D019263:Dysthymic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride
chemical_list: D003511:Cyclohexanols; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride