BACKGROUND: Major depression is highly recurrent. Antidepressant maintenance treatment has proven efficacy against recurrent depression. AIMS: Comparison of prophylactic efficacy of citalopram versus placebo in unipolar, recurrent depression. METHODS:Patients 18-65 years of age with recurrent unipolar major depression (DSM-IV), a Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale score of > or =22 and two or more previous depressive episodes, one within the past 5 years, were treated openly with citalopram (20-60 mg) for 6-9 weeks and, if responding, continued for 16 weeks before being randomised to double-blind maintenance treatment with citalopram or placebo for 48-77 weeks. RESULTS: A total of 427 patients entered acute treatment and 269 were randomised to double-blind treatment. Time to recurrence was longer in patients taking citalopram than in patients taking placebo (P:<0.001). Prophylactic treatment was well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS:Citalopram (20, 40 and 60 mg) is effective in the prevention of depressive recurrences. Patients at risk should continue maintenance treatment at the dose necessary to resolve symptoms in the acute treatment phase.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Major depression is highly recurrent. Antidepressant maintenance treatment has proven efficacy against recurrent depression. AIMS: Comparison of prophylactic efficacy of citalopram versus placebo in unipolar, recurrent depression. METHODS:Patients 18-65 years of age with recurrent unipolar major depression (DSM-IV), a Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale score of > or =22 and two or more previous depressive episodes, one within the past 5 years, were treated openly with citalopram (20-60 mg) for 6-9 weeks and, if responding, continued for 16 weeks before being randomised to double-blind maintenance treatment with citalopram or placebo for 48-77 weeks. RESULTS: A total of 427 patients entered acute treatment and 269 were randomised to double-blind treatment. Time to recurrence was longer in patients taking citalopram than in patients taking placebo (P:<0.001). Prophylactic treatment was well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS:Citalopram (20, 40 and 60 mg) is effective in the prevention of depressive recurrences. Patients at risk should continue maintenance treatment at the dose necessary to resolve symptoms in the acute treatment phase.
Authors: Ursula Reichenpfader; Gerald Gartlehner; Laura C Morgan; Amy Greenblatt; Barbara Nussbaumer; Richard A Hansen; Megan Van Noord; Linda Lux; Bradley N Gaynes Journal: Drug Saf Date: 2014-01 Impact factor: 5.606
Authors: Ellen Frank; David J Kupfer; Daniel J Buysse; Holly A Swartz; Paul A Pilkonis; Patricia R Houck; Paola Rucci; Danielle M Novick; Victoria J Grochocinski; Deborah M Stapf Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2007-05 Impact factor: 18.112
Authors: Anthony J Rothschild; Boadie W Dunlop; David L Dunner; Edward S Friedman; Alan Gelenberg; Peter Holland; James H Kocsis; Susan G Kornstein; Richard Shelton; Madhukar H Trivedi; John M Zajecka; Corey Goldstein; Michael E Thase; Ron Pedersen; Martin B Keller Journal: Psychopharmacol Bull Date: 2009
Authors: Ellen Van Leeuwen; Mieke L van Driel; Mark A Horowitz; Tony Kendrick; Maria Donald; An Im De Sutter; Lindsay Robertson; Thierry Christiaens Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2021-04-15