title: No predictors of antidepressant patient response to milnacipran were obtained using the three-factor structures of the Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale in Japanese patients with major depressive disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Milnacipran, a new specific serotonin and norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitor, is as effective as tricyclic antidepressants. Symptomatological predictors of antidepressant response to milnacipran have not been studied until now.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 101 Japanese patients who fulfilled the DSM-IV criteria for the diagnosis of major depressive disorders and whose score on the Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) was > or =21. Eighty-three patients were finally included. Patients with a pretreatment MADRS score > or =31 points were defined as severe (n = 28), and the rest as non-severe (n = 55). The three-factor model of MADRS was used for analysis; the first factor was defined by three items, the second factor was defined by four items and the third factor was defined by three items representing dysphoria, retardation, and vegetative symptoms, respectively. Milnacipran was administered twice daily for 6 weeks. The initial dose was 50 mg/day; after a week it was increased to 100 mg/day.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference was observed in the mean score of first factor, second factor and third factor at pretreatment time between responders and non-responders in both severe and non-severe patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No predictor of antidepressant response to milnacipran was obtained using the three-factor structures of the MADRS in Japanese patients with major depressive disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, St Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan. h5higuchi@marianna-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Keizo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamata
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Otani
authors.forename: Noboru
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003521:Cyclopropanes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000078764:Milnacipran; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D000078764:Milnacipran