title: Effectiveness and safety of venlafaxine extended release in elderly depressed patients.
abstract: The main objectives of this multicenter, naturalistic, open-label study is to evaluate the effectiveness, tolerability and safety of venlafaxine extended release (VXR) in a sample of 59 patients older than 60 years of age diagnosed of depressive disorders in the primary care setting. VXR was administered for 24 weeks at daily doses ranging from 75 mg to 225 mg. Effectiveness measurements included the 17 items Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D(17)), the Clinical Global Impression Scales for Severity (CGI-S) and Improvement (CGI-I), the Visual Analogical Scale for Pain (P-VAS), and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale. At the endpoint, VXR achieved response and remission rates of 81.6% and 59.2%, respectively. Treatment was associated with a significant improvement of the patient's condition (89.8% of patients were rated by physicians as "much/very much improved"). Painful physical symptoms (p<0.0001) and cognitive state (p=0.0017) scores decreased along the study. A total of 83% of patients completed the study. Seven adverse events were recorded for four patients (6.8% overall). Data of this study suggest that VXR could be an effective and safe therapeutic option in the treatment of geriatric depression, reducing also the associated painful physical symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Department, San Carlos Clinic Hospital, Profesor Martín Lagos s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan José Lopez
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ibor
authors.forename: Jose Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Carrasco
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prieto
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García-Calvo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012074:Remission Induction; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride