title: Sertraline treatment of patients with major depressive disorder who failed initial treatment with paroxetine or fluvoxamine.
abstract: This study was undertaken to examine the long-term effectiveness and safety of switching to sertraline from other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in the treatment of non-remitted or treatment-intolerant major depressive disorder. The study included 25 patients with major depressive disorder according to DSM-IV-TR criteria. None had achieved remission with paroxetine or fluvoxamine, but each had been used in an adequate dose for an adequate time period or had been intolerant of these SSRIs. Most patients (n=22, 88%) were non-remitters. Switching was accomplished by gradual cross-titration and tapering. We conducted assessments at baseline and at weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24. Outcomes were assessed using the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Self-Report, Japanese version (QIDS-SRJ) score (primary outcome), the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), and the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) scale. Mean QIDS-SRJ and HDRS scores improved significantly from baseline to week 8 and week 24. At the respective endpoints of weeks 8 and 24, remitters on QIDS-SRJ (≤5) were 2 of 25 (8%) and 4 of 25 (16%). At weeks 8 and 24, 11 of 25 (44%) were responders on QIDS-SRJ (≥50% reduction). Five patients (20%) terminated early, before week 8, because of side effects and/or lack of efficacy. These preliminary data suggest that the switching strategy from paroxetine or fluvoxamine to sertraline might be effective and well-tolerated in patients with non-remitted or treatment-intolerant major depressive disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, North 15, West 7, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan. tinoue@med.hokudai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Ryoji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.forename: Tomohito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishikane
authors.forename: Kuniko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Shuken
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boku
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fujisawa
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Tsukasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D061218:Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D016666:Fluvoxamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020280:Sertraline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017374:Paroxetine; D016666:Fluvoxamine; D020280:Sertraline