Duloxetine for the treatment of major depressive disorder in women ages 40 to 55 years.
The efficacy of duloxetine in the treatment of major depressive disorder in women of approximately perimenopausal age (40-55 years; 62 placebo subjects and 55 subjects taking duloxetine, 60 mg/day) was compared with that observed in cohorts of younger (<40 years, 94 placebo subjects and 85 duloxetine subjects) and older (>55 years, 26 placebo subjects and 25 duloxetine subjects) women. Women (ages 40-55 years) receiving duloxetine demonstrated significantly greater improvement in total scores on the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression compared with placebo at the study endpoint (week 9). Significant advantages for duloxetine over placebo were observed on 17-item Hamilton depression scale subscales (core, Maier, anxiety, retardation, and sleep), in addition to the Clinical Global Impression severity and Patient Global Impression of Improvement Scale, the Quality of Life in Depression Scale, and Visual Analog Scales assessing pain severity. The magnitude of duloxetine's treatment effect in women ages 40-55 years was similar to that observed in younger (age <40 years) and older (age >55 years) female patients. In the placebo treatment groups, however, mean changes differed substantially by age group with the smallest placebo responses observed in the 40-55 age group. Duloxetine (60 mg/day) was demonstrated to be an effective treatment for major depressive disorder in this cohort of women ages 40-55 years.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Vivien K
VK
Burt
Madelaine M
MM
Wohlreich
Craig H
CH
Mallinckrodt
Michael J
MJ
Detke
John G
JG
Watkin
Donna E
DE
Stewart
D000328:Adult; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D000068736:Duloxetine Hydrochloride; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000068736:Duloxetine Hydrochloride; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D013876:Thiophenes