A surveillance study of escitalopram treatment of depressed patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this surveillance study was to assess the tolerability of, and response to, treatment with escitalopram in 525 psychiatric out-patient clinics in the Czech Republic.


METHODS
Clinical response was evaluated using the Zung Depression Rating Scale (ZDRS) and the Clinical Impressions--Improvement (CGI-I) scale. The change from baseline in the ZDRS, Clinical Impressions--Severity of Illness (CGI-S) and CGI-I scores were analysed for each visit (baseline, weeks 1-2, 4, 8 and 26).


RESULTS
There were 2664 patients included, with 2126 patients (79.8%) completing the 6-month treatment. During the course of the study, the patients showed an improvement in their severity of depression, with a response rate (CGI-I < or = 2) of 86.7% and a remission rate (CGI-S < or = 2) of 80.6% for patients completing 6 months of treatment. The most frequent adverse events were nausea (5.5%), headache (2.1%) and sweating (2.0%). Discontinuation due to adverse events occurred in 170 patients (6.4%) and 3.7% of patients withdrew from the study because of non-response and/or worsening of psychopathology. There were no significant differences between baseline and final visit in mean body mass index for men or women.


CONCLUSIONS
In this large surveillance study, escitalopram was well tolerated by a heterogeneous group of patients, whose depressive symptoms responded to < or = 6 months of treatment.
Anders
Martin
M
1st Faculty of Medicine Charles University, Department of Psychiatry, 120 00 Prague 2, Ke Karlovu 11, Czech Republic. martin.anders@vfn.cz
Tuma
Ivan
I
Rösslerova
Helena
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015283:Citalopram / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D015283:Citalopram