| Literature DB >> 21836704 |
Ajit Avasthi1, Sandeep Grover, Munish Aggarwal.
Abstract
Data suggests that antidepressants are useful in the management of depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, sexual dysfunction, eating disorders, impulse control disorders, enuresis, aggression and some personality disorders. Research focusing on the usefulness of antidepressants in India has more or less followed the trends seen in the West. Most of the studies conducted in India have evaluated various antidepressants in depression. In this article, we review studies conducted in India on various antidepressants. The data suggests that antidepressants have been evaluated mainly in the acute phase treatment and rare studies have evaluated the efficacy in continuation phase treatment.Entities:
Keywords: Antidepressants; India; research
Year: 2010 PMID: 21836704 PMCID: PMC3146188 DOI: 10.4103/0019-5545.69263
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Indian J Psychiatry ISSN: 0019-5545 Impact factor: 1.759
Non comparative studies evaluating efficacy of antidepressants in depressive disorders
| Authors | Duration (in weeks) | Sample size/scale/design | Medication(s) | Dose(s) in mg | Outcome | Side-effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dube and Narendra[ | Variable | N = 11 | IMN | 75-225 | Subjects with endogenous depression showed marked improvement or complete recovery, the psychoneurotic variety showed little and no improvement was seen in schiz group | Increase in pulse rate, dryness of mouth, hypotension, dilatation of pupils, stomatitis, constipation, excitement and sinking sensation |
| Davis[ | 3-till needed | N = 30 | AMT | 75-150 | Sixteen subjects became Sx free; 8 subjects were substantially improved; taken together-77% improved, 3 subjects relapsed, when treatment was discontinued | Dermatitis, constipation, restlessness and panic, dry month |
| Kishore and Murti Rao[ | 3-6 months | N = 10 | AMT | 75-150 | Two lost on follow-up One patient improved slightly, 5-considerably improved, 1 -completely free of depression, 1- did not improve (hypochondriasis with sx of depression) | One patient- severe generalized Pruritus. One patient-dizziness, ataxia, drowsiness, blurring of vision, dryness of mouth, nausea, sweating and pains in the knee joints. One patient- took overdose |
| Master,[ | 4 | N = 20 | PTP | 20-60 | Effective in treatment of depression | Dryness of the month, mild drowsiness, dizziness, headache, asthenia |
| Kishore and Sharma[ | 15 | N = 16 | TIMN | 25-300 | 8/12 subjects who completed the trial showed response. Superior results were observed in endogenous depression and there was little or no effect on reactive neurotic depression Tension, restlessness, agitation, suicidal tendencies, anxiety, insomnia and somatic complaints were relieved earlier than the depression. | Dryness of the month, mild drowsiness, dizziness, headache, asthenia |
| Sharma | 10 | N = 78 | D-IMN | 75-300 | D-IMN was found to be effective Remission rates highest in the retarded and reactive depression; lowest in agitated depression | Dryness of mouth, palpitation, agitation, giddiness, constipation S/E were of milder severity |
| Shah | 6 | N = 104 | IMN + PRZ | 75-225 75-225 | Compound proved to be effective in controlling the depression with anxiety | Commonly reported S/E included dry mouth, tremors, giddiness, constipation, difficulty in visual accommodation |
| Boral and Shah[ | 6 | N = 32; DSM-III, HDR | AMN | 100-200 | AMN was effective as soon as day 7 of treatment and this effect improved continuously throughout the study | Safe |
| Bhatt | 6 | N = 10; Pharmacokinetic study DSM-IIIR HDRS | NTZ | 75-225 | The overall reduction in HDRS score was about 50% by 6 weeks. The HDRS score showed a steady reduction between day 14 and 42 when the levels of NTZ and desmethyl metabolites were maintained between 176.5 ng/ml to 251 ng/ml The plasma levels of NTZ (ng/ml) showed a rise from a mean level of 47.0 ± 7.3 on day 1 (dose 75 mg) to 129.8 ± 24.6 on day 7 (dose 150 mg) ( | No severe A/E reported |
| Srivastava | 4 | N = 42; HDRS, RDC criteria multicentric | CTZ | 40-120 | Overall 81 % of subjects responded Antidepressant effect was seen in 9 subjects after 1 week, in 28 subjects after 2 weeks and in all 34 subjects after 3 weeks of therapy | 11 subjects experienced S/E in the form of giddiness, headache, dryness of mouth and weakness |
| Parikh | 6 | N = 49; DSM-IIIR; HDRS, HARS, MADRS Dysthymia/MDD | TPN | 37.5-75 | There was a significant drop in scores on the HDRS, HARS and MADRS by week 2 which was sustained till week 6 ( | Common S/E were nausea, giddiness and drowsiness. |
| Channabasavanna and Khanna[ | 6 | N = 50; HDRS, MADRS, CGI; ZUNG | AMN | 200 | At the end of 6 weeks treatment there was significant reduction in HDRS | No effect of AMN on heart rate and blood pressure |
| Sonawalla | 6 | N = 314; multicentric study outcome measure: Dropout rates MADRS, HARS | TPN | 37.5 | Intention to treat analysis showed that 7 subjects (2.3%) discontinued treatment due to S/Es Subjects with an improvement of at least 50% from baseline on MADRS- 53.0% at 6 week; at least 50% on HARS- 52.2% at 6 weeks | Well tolerated |
| Mohapatra | 6 months | N = 17; Patient of AMI with MDD randomized, single blind | STN Vs Cardiac TAU | 50-200 | STN significantly better that TAU At the end of six months ten (90.9%) out of 11 subjects in intervention group achieved remission compared to two (33.3%) out of 3 of the TAU group Cardiac events were reported less in this group than those who continued only cardiac TAU | No dropouts due to non-response or S/E |
| Gada[ | 60 day | N = 320; MDD, HDRS | TPN | 37.5 | Mean HDRS score decreased from 10.9 ± 3.2 at baseline to 6.9 ± 2.7 at day 60 ( | No patient withdrew due to S/E, which were reported in 23 subjects (7.2%). |
| Pinto | 8 | N = 119; MDD, DSM-IV, HDRS, MADRS | ESC | 10-20 | By week 8, 76.9% subjects had responded to treatment (≥ 50% reduction in MADRS total score). | ESC was well tolerated, and only 2 subjects (1.7%) withdrew from the study due to A/E. There were no serious A/Es |
| Margoob | 6 | N = 57; DSM-IV, HDRS | ESC | 20 | At the third week of treatment,
12 (63.15%) of Group ll (group without functionally dominant genes) had a 50% reduction HRDS score compared to only 4 (10.52%) of the s (group with functionally dominant genes) group ( Almost same treatment response trend continued up to the end of week | |
| Arora and Kaur[ | 6 | N = 15; post stroke depression DSM-IV, HDRS | MSC | 100-200 | 85.71% (12/14) of subjects completing the study were in remission | Not mentioned |
IMN - Imipramine; schiz - Schizophrenia; AMT - Amitriptyline; PTP - Protriptyline; TIMN - Trimipramine; D-IMN - Desmethyl-Imipramine; S/E - Side-effects; PRZ - Promazine; HDRS - Hamilton depression rating scale; AMN - Amineptine; NTZ - Nitroxazepine; A/E - Adverse effect; RDC - Research Diagnostic Criteria; CTZ - Centpropazine; HARS - Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale; MADRS - Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale; MDD - Major Depressive Disorder; TPN - Tianeptine; CGI - Clinical Global Improvement Scale; ZUNG - Zung Depression Rating Scale; AMI - Acute myocardial infarction; STN - Sertraline; TAU - Cardiac treatment as usual; ESC - Escitalopram; MSC - Milnacipran
Placebo controlled trials evaluating the efficacy/effectiveness of antidepressants in depressive disorders
| Authors | Duration (in weeks) | Sample size/scale/design | Medication(s) | Dose(s) in mg | Outcome | Side-effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master[ | 12 | N=60 DBCT | AMT | 75-150 | Only 12 subjects completed the trial Subjects in the AMT group showed better response compared to placebo | Commonly reported side-effects; dryness of mouth, constipation |
| Shah | 4 | N=56 DBCT | AMT | 75-150 | 62% of subjects in AMT group improved compared to 29% in the PLB group | S/E more frequently seen in AMT group: Giddiness, constipation, dryness of month, drowsiness, hypomania |
| Bassa and Vora[ | 4 | N = 96; DBCT | IMN | 150 | 60% of IMN subjects showed more than 50% response No difference between PLB and IMN | Not reported |
| Teja | 8 | N = 65; HDRS Crossover after 4 weeks | PTP | 10-40 | On drug treatment -29/46 subjects (63.0%) on PTP were better at 4 weeks with 19.5% rated as recovered, 21.5% rated as markedly improved, and 21.5% were rated as improved In the PLB arm only 2(10.5%) of the 19 subjects were rated as improved The differences between the drug and PLB groups were significant Drug was better than placebo in all types of depression More effective in psychotic depressives and involutional melancholia | S/E with PTP reported more frequently than that seen in placebo group: Dryness of mouth or bad taste, dizziness, increase thirst, constipation, blurring of vision, delayed micturition, epigastric or retrosternal distress, weakness or fatigue, itching, tremor |
| Nandi and Ajmani[ | 6 | N = 16; Endogenous Dep, consecutive sample | TIMN | 100-150 | Improvement between the 2 groups was not significantly different at the end of week 1 or 2, but it was highly significant at the end of week 4 and the 6 | In two cases TIMN was discontinued S/E reported: Flushing, sweating, dryness of mouth, constipation, postural-hypotension |
| Dua | 6 | N = 18; DBCT, Depressive Sx in schiz RDC, HDRS >17 | CPZ + IMN Vs CPZ + PLB | CPZ upto 1200, IMN 75-150 | Both the groups showed significant reduction in dep. Sx after 6-week trial and the addition of IMN to CPZ therapy did not have any advantageous or deleterious effect. | IMN treated group did not exhibit more side-effects than the group receiving PLB |
DBCT - Double Blind Controlled Trial; AMT - Amitriptyline; PLB - Placebo; S/E - Side-effects; IMN - Imipramine; HDRS - Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; PTP - Protriptyline; TIMN - Trimipramine; schiz- Schizophrenia; RDC - Research Diagnostic Criteria; CPZ - Chlorpromazine
Active comparator group drug trials of efficacy/effectiveness of antidepressants in depressive disorders
| Authors | Duration (in weeks) | Sample size/scale/design | Medication(s) | Dose(s) in mg | Outcome | Side-effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatterjee and Jindal[ | 3-5 months | N = 20 | AMT Vs AMT + TFP | AMT 150 AMT 150 + TFP | 14/20 (70%), showed good response to depressive symptoms, with 8 reporting complete relief of symptoms. Results were better when TFP was added (75% Vs 66) | TFP reduced the S/E of AMT |
| Neki[ | 12 | N = 200 | IMN Vs NLD Vs PLZ Vs PLB | IMN 25-200 NLD 25-200 PLZ 15-120 | IMN was the most effective of antidepressant among the 3 drugs IMN and NLD better than PLB PLZ not better than PLB | IMN produced more S/E than NLD or PLZ S/E appeared most frequently during week 2 or three of trial. |
| Teja and Narang[ | 4 | N = 30;HDRS, DBRCT | GO 2998 vs GO 2330 vs IMN | 77.5% of subjects in IMN group, 55.5 in GO 2998 and 44.4 in GO 2330 groups had more than 50% reduction in HDRS | Maximum S/E were observed with Go 2998 and then with IMN. Go 2330 had the least number of S/Es | |
| Kumar | NA | N = 50 | NVL vs IMN | NA | NVL appears to be a promising and safe treatment for depression | NVL relatively free of severe S/E Most common S/E were postural hypotension and coarse tremors of hands, dryness of mouth, sinus tachycardia, drug rash |
| Teja and Bhatia[ | 6 | N = 59; HDRS, DBRCT | IPL vs IMN | IPL -180 IMN -150 | Out of the 59 subjects, 47 completed the 4 weeks period of trial and 12 dropped out (6 each on IPL and IMN) after taking the drugs for a variable period In the IMN group 2 subjects were rated as recovered, 5 as markedly improved, 5 as improved and 5 as unchanged where as in the IPL group no subject was rated as recovered, 4 were rated as markedly improved, 5 as improved and 5 as unchanged On t test- neither at day 0 nor at days 28 and 42 was any significant difference seen in the mean scores of any of the Hamilton’s scale Sx between the two drug groups. | There was no difference in the frequency of observed clinical side-effects between the two groups of subjects S/E of severe intensity were seen only with IMN |
| Satija | 6 | N = 40; HDRS, DBCT | TIMN vs IMN | TIMN -150 IMN -150 | At 4 weeks, 16 subjects (80%) recovered with TIMN as compared with 14 subjects (70%) with IMN. There was no effect in 4 subjects with TIMN and 6 subjects with IMN and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups At 6 weeks total number of improved cases remained the same in both group and none of the case worsened | Commonest S/E with TIMN were giddiness, weakness, difficulty in walking, drowsiness and dryness of mouth |
| Desouza and Chaudhary[ | 4 | N = 64; Modified HDRS, DBCT | STL vs IMN | STL -150-250 IMN -150-250 | 69% of cases treated with STL showed a good response, i.e. reduction in total global score by 50% or more in comparison to only 40.9% of cases treated with IMN responded favorably and this difference was significant In the subgroup analysis it was seen that 90% of subjects in STL showed good response in comparison to only 30% in the IMN group | There were 5 instances of S/E with STL and 13 with IMN In the IMN group, 7 subjects complained of severe S/E and hence the treatment had to be stopped during the first week in 5 and in the third week in 2 |
| Mahal | 4 | N = 100; HDRS, DBCT | FPZ + NTP (20 vs 40) vs NTP (20 vs 40) vs FPZ | FPZ- + NTP- 20-40 | Only FPZ group showed 63% reduction in HDRS and NTP 20 mg/day group showed 47% reduction in HDRS with other groups falling between the above 2 groups. However, the difference in mean reduction between the treatment groups is not statistically significant | Headache, dizziness, body pains and burning sensation were commonly complained of by subjects in all the groups. These complaints were more numerous and intense in those who showed poor response to treatment. |
| Chaturvedi | 4 | N = 30; DBRCT, HDRS | DTP Vs IMN | DTP 25-150 IMN 25-150 | Mean percentage reduction in total HDRS score was more with DTP than with IMN throughout the treatment period, though there was no significant difference between the two treatments in terms of overall response and in the response of target Sx | S/E encountered were mild, more in IMN group (dryness of mouth and constipation) than DTP (ataxia and giddiness) |
| Mahendru | 4 | N = 40; HDRS, ICD-9 | NTZ vs DXN | There was more than 75% improvement in total HDRS score in 80% of subjects treated with NTZ as compared to 35% subjects receiving DXN NTZ was found more effective in controlling self reproach and guilt feelings, agitation and social withdrawal | None of the subjects on NTZ reported any unwanted or undesirable effects, while one fourth subjects treated with DXN had side-effects like dryness of mouth, giddiness and drowsiness | |
| Vyas | 6 | N = 60; HDRS, SBRCT | DTP vs IMN | DTP -50-150 IMN 50-150 | There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of reduction in total Hamilton scores | Three subjects receiving DTP and one receiving IMN developed hypomanic/manic features 14/27 subjects in DTP reported side-effects, while 12/23 subjects receiving IMN reported S/E |
| Agarwal | 6 | N = 40; HDRS, Open trial | AMN vs AMN + BDZ vs BDZ alone | 100-200 | HDRS scores improved significantly from baseline to the end point (reduced from 22.8 to 11.9) The significant improvement on HDRS was evident as early as 2 weeks 21 out of 37 subjects improved (56.8%) to a moderate degree or more, 21.6% of subjects were reported to have slight improvement whereas 21.6% showed no change or worsening in their conditions Did not present the comparison analysis of the 3 groups | AMN was well tolerated. The S/E reported included dryness of mouth, epigastric pain, constipation, jaundice, headache, insomnia, flushing, and restlessness There was a small but statistically significant increase in body weight No cardiovascular and biochemical A/E were noted |
| Parikh | 6 | N = 67; DSM-IIIR Dysthymia/MDD HDRS, HARS, MADRS | TPN vs AMT | TPN 37.5- 75 AMT 37.5-75 | Both TPN and AMT led to significant improvement in depression from the 2nd week onwards which was sustained till the end of the study( | Subjects on TPN had significantly fewer anticholinergic S/E than those on AMT |
| Srivastava | 6 | N = 159; HDRS, CGI, DBRCT | CTZ vs IMN | CTZ -40 to 120 IMN -50 to 150 | The antidepressant efficacy of CTZ is similar to IMN | Anticholinergic S/E were 4 times less in the CTZ group |
| Mathur | 6 | N = 39; DSM-IV, HDRS, CGI Open RCT | MTZ vs AMT | MTZ 15-45 AMT 25-150 | MTZ is effective in major depression and its efficacy is equivalent to AMT HDRS reduced by 89.91% in the MTZ group and by 54.04% in the AMT group | MTZ was better tolerated than AMT Only six subjects (28.57%) reported S/Es, in contrast to 17 (94.45%) subjects in the AMT group |
| Vaya | 4 | N = 214; DBRCT multicentric ICD-10, HDRS, CGI | CPM vs ESC vs STN | CPM 20-40 ESC10-20 STN 50-150 | Response rate (50% reduction in HDRS) at the end of 4 weeks was 90% for ESC, 86% for CPM and 97% for STN Remission rate (HDRS < 8) at the end of 4 weeks was 74% for ESC, 65% for CPM and 77% for STN | 45% of subjects in ESC group, 58% subjects in CPM and 56% subjects in the STN group reported A/E |
| Avasthi | 6 | N = 60; HDRS, MADRS, open RCT, ICD-10 | MCB vs IMN | MCB300- 600 IMN 75-300 | IMN better than MCB 62% of subjects in MCB group and 84% in the IMN group were classified as responders on HDRS There were 52.38% responders in the MCB group and 73.68% in the IMN group on MADRS | Subjects who received MCB had a better S/E profile |
| Mathur | 6 | N = 40; DSM-IV HDRS, CGI, Open RCT | CPM vs AMT | CPM 20-60 AMT 75-150 | The percentage reduction in the mean HDRS score for the CPM group was 72.12%, while that for the AMT group was 67.93% and there was no statistical difference between the two groups | 20% of subjects in the CPM group reported S/E whereas 75% of subjects in AMT group reported S/ |
| Badyal | 6 | N = 26; MDD, DSM-IV, open RCT, HDRS, MADRS, CGI | DLT vs VFN | DLT 20-40 VFN 75-150 | There was significant reduction in HDRS, MADRS, CGI scores from baseline to endpoint ( There was no significant difference between two groups Response and remission rate was 96% and 69% in DLT group as compared to 92% and 62% in VFN group respectively | There was no significant difference in A/E and laboratory investigation in two groups |
| Matreja | 6 | N = 100; ROT/ HDRS, MADRS, ADI | CPM vs STN | CPM 20-60 STN 50 150 | Significant improvement was seen in HDRS, MADRS, ADI ( Decrease in score was more with CPM
( Onset of action of CPM was earlier as compared to STN ( | No serious A/E was reported in either of the groups |
| Dube | 8 | N = 425 (of which 363 from India) multicentric DBRCT, MDD, DSM-IV, HDRS, QIDS-SR | LY2216684 vs ESC vs PLB | LY2216684 did not show statistically significant improvement from baseline compared to PLB on HDRS ESC demonstrated statistically significant improvement compared to placebo on the HDRS total score at week 8 only (1-sided No difference between LY2216684 and PLB on CGI Both LY2216684 and ESC showed significant improvement on QIDS-SR compared to PLB | Subjects treated with LY2216684 exhibited no significant worsening in suicidal ideation as assessed by BSI. No statistically significant differences were observed between groups in rates of discontinuation due to A/E (4 subjects (1.5%) in the LY2216684 group, one patient (0.7%) in the PLB group, and one patient (1.6%) in the ESC group). No deaths were reported during the study. No difference in S/E profile between LY2216684 and ESC, except for higher rate of eosinophilia in LY2216684 group. |
AMT - Amitriptyline; TFP - Trifluperazine; S/E - Side-effects; IMN - Imipramine; NLD - Nialmide; PLZ - Phenelzine; PLB - Placabo; HDRS - Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; DBRCT - Double Blind Randomized Controlled trial; NVL - Noveril; IPL - Iprindole; DBCT - Double Blind controlled trial; TIMN - Trimipramine; STL - Sintamil; FPZ - Fluphenazine; NTP - Nortriptyline; DTP - Dothiepin; NTZ - Nitroxazepine; DXN - Doxepin; SBRCT - Single Blind Randomized Controlled Trial; AMN - Amineptine; BDZ - Benzodiazepine; MDD - Major Depressive Disorder; HARS - Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale; MADRS - Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating scale; TPN - Tianeptine; FLX - Fluoxetine; CGI - Clinical Global Improvement scale; CTZ - Centpropazine; MTZ - Mirtazapine; CPM - Citalopram; MCB - Moclobemide; RCT - Randomized Controlled Trial; DLT - Duloxetine; VFN - Venlafaxine; ROT - Randomized Open Trial; ADI - Amritsar Depression Inventory; STN - Sertraline; QIDS-SR - Self-rated Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology; ESC - Escitalopram; BSI - Beck’s Scale for Suicidal Ideation
Active comparator group non-drug trial of efficacy of antidepressants in treatment of depressive disorders
| Authors | Duration (in weeks) | Sample size/scale/design | Medication(s) | Outcome | Side-effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balkrishna | 2 months | N=75 | AMT + CDP vs PPT | Clinically, drug therapy was found to be more effective and economical. However, PPT was effective in relieving the anxiety and depression as well as improving social adjustment. Drug therapy was effective only in the relief of depression. | |
| Gangadhar | 12 | N = 32; DBRCT, HDRS, Feighner’s criteria, Abrahams criteria for Endogenous dep | IMN vs ECT | Both treatments produced equally significant improvement which was maintained till the end of 6 months. ECT produced its effects quicker. | Subjects who received ECT reported lesser subjective S/Es. |
| Selvan[ | 4 | N = 30; RCT, MDD, DMS-IV, HDRS, MADRS, CGI, BDI | IMN vs ECT | Rates of remission (HRSD < 8) in ECT and IMN group were 71 % and 78% respectively. No significant difference in the two groups on HDRS, MADRS, CGI and BDI. | S/E scores at 2 and 4 weeks were lower in ECT group. |
| Janakiramaiah | 3 | N = 45; BDI, HDRS | IMN vs ECT vs SKY | No significant difference in 3 groups with regard to reductions in the total scores on BDI and HDRS. Remission (HDRS < 7) at the end of the trial - 93%, 73% and 67% in the ECT, IMN and SKY groups, respectively. | No clinically significant S/Es observed. |
AMT - Amitriptyline; CDP - Chlordiazepoxide; PPT - Psychophysiological therapy; DBRCT - Double Blind randomized Controlled Trial; HDRS - Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; IMN - Imipramine; ECT - Electro Convulsive Therapy; S/Es - Side-effects; RCT - Randomized Controlled Trial; MDD: Major Depressive Disorder; MADRS - Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale; CGI - Clinical Global Improvement scale; BDI - Beck’s Depression Inventory; SKY - Sudarshan kriya; AD - Antidepressants
Efficacy/effectiveness/usefulness of antidepressants in other disorders
| Authors | Duration (in weeks) | Sample size/scale/design | Medication(s) | Dose (s) in mg | Outcome | Side-effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ananth | 12 | N = 27 YBOCS/DBCT | CLN Vs PLB | 250 | At termination, statistically significant improvement (52.8%) in YBOCS score in the drug group and 10 % in the PLB group Improvement in the CLN group at 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant Male subjects improved better than the females (78% vs. 51%), and the difference was statistically significant. | Statistically significant difference in the mean prolactin level between PLB and CLN at the end of 4 and 8 weeks but not at 12 weeks Dosage of medication insignificantly correlated with prolactin level at the end of 4, 8 and 12 weeks |
| Agarwal and Agarwal[ | 12 | N = 7/YBOC, PANSS, CGI, Open trial (trt of OC Sx in Schiz) | Neuroleptic + FLX | FLX 40-80 | Five subjects showed response in both OC and psychotic symptoms, 2 showed no response At 12 weeks, there was a significant improvement on YBOCS Total scores on PANSS also showed a significant reduction, it was significant on all the three subscales of PANSS Significant reduction in CGI severity scores On CGI 1 patient showed very much improvement, 3 - much improvement, 1- minimal improvement, 2 - no change | 2 subjects had mild anorexia another developed moderate anorexia which gradually decreased after four weeks None had worsening of psychotic Sx |
| Agarwal | 32 | N = 10; Late onset OCD (.40 years) with Parkinsonism; YBOCS | CLN | 37.5-75 | 5 out of 10 subjects showed 100% improvement, 3 showed 75% improvement, 1 showed 50% improvement and 1 showed 40% improvement in YOBCS | |
| Vyas and Purohit[ | 10 days | N = 61, Insomnia | TIMN vs NZM | TIMN-50 NZM-10 | 74% subjects in TIMN group and 63% subjects in NZM group responded favourably and difference between the 2 groups was not statistically significant. Subjects displaying depression and anxiety responded better to TIMN | Dryness of mouth seen only in TIMN group |
| Singh | 4 | N = 90 (GAD, MAD, Dysthymia) HDRS, HARS | IMN vs DPM | IMN 75-150 DPM 15-30 | IMN and DPM were found to be equally effective (62.8% vs 62.2%) in reducing anxiety in all subjects. IMN was significantly better than DPM in reducing the level of depression in the depressed group but as effective as DPM in the other two groups. IMN was significantly better for the symptoms of ‘depressed mood’ and ‘retardation’, while DPM was better for Sx of ‘fears’. | Not mentioned |
| Dua | 6 | N = 18; DBCT; Dep. Sx in Schiz. RDC; HDRS .17 | CPZ + IMN vs CPZ + PLB | CPZ upto 1200 IMN 75-150 | Both the groups showed significant improvement after the 6-week trial and the addition of IMN to CPZ therapy did not have any advantageous or deleterious effect | IMN treated group did not exhibit more S/E than the group receiving PLB |
| Pereira and Patel[ | 6 | N = 61; CMD, DBRCT | FLX vs IMN | FLX-20 IMN-75 IMN-150 | Treatment completion rates were higher with FLX and least with the IMN 150 mg/day | Anticholinergic SEs and giddiness were common in the IMN groups; headaches and restlessness were common in the FLX group |
| Patel | 12 months (treatment for 6 months) | N = 450; DBRCT, CMD | FLX vs PLB vs Psycho social treatment (6 sessions) | Psychiatric outcome was significantly better with FLX than with PLB at 2 months, but not over the 2-12 month period AD were significantly more cost effective than PLB in the short term and long term ( Psychological treatment was not more effective than PLB for any outcome during either period | ||
| Dhikav | 8 | N = 68; Open label, PME | FLX vs Yoga | All 38 subjects (25-65.7% 5 good, 13- 34.2% 5 fair) belonging to yoga and 25 out of 30 of the FLX group (82.3%) showed statistically significant improvement in PME | Commonly reported S/E of FLX- nausea, insomnia, vomiting, anxiety |
YOBCS - Yale - Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale; DBCT - Double Blind Controlled Trial; CLN - Clomipramine; PLB - Placabo; PANSS - Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale; CGI - Clinical Global Improvement Scale; OC - Obsessive Compulsive; schiz - Schizophrenia; OCD - Obsessive compulsive disorder; FLX - Fluoxetine; TIMN - Trimipramine; NZM - Nitrazepam; GAD - Generalized anxiety disorder; MAD - Mixed anxiety and depression; HDRS - Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; HARS - Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale; IMN - Imipramine; DPM - Diazepam; DBCT - Double Blind Controlled Trial; Schiz - Schizophrenia; RDC - Research Diagnostic Criteria; CPZ - Chlorpromazine; CMD - Common Mental Disorders; PME - Premature ejaculation
Side-effects of antidepressants
| Side-effects | Antidepressant implicated |
|---|---|
| Antidepressant Induced/associated hypomania/mania | Venlafaxine 150 mg/day[ Escitalopram 20 mg/day[ Clomipramine 150 mg/day[ Tricyclic induced mania[ Fluoxetine 60 mg/day[ Sertraline 50 mg/day[ Citalopram[ |
| Antidepressant associated hyponatremia/SIADH | Citalopram 10 mg/day in elderly subjects[ Escitalopram 10-15 mg/day in elderly subjects[ Sertraline[ |
| Antidepressant associated extrapyramidal Symptoms | Fluoxetine induced akathisia
20mg/day[ |
| Acute colonic (pseudo) obstruction (Ogilvie syndrome) | Fluoxetine 80 mg/day and amitriptyline
150 mg/day[ Clomipramine 50 mg/day[ Imipramine 150 mg/day (on withdrawal)[ |
| Antidepressant Induced/ associated psychosis | Bupropion 300 mg/day[ |
| Hypertension | Venlafaxine 150 mg/day[ |
| Vascular Headache | Fluoxetine 20 mg/day[ |
| Torsades de pointes | Dothiepin 25 mg/day[ |
| Drug induced alopecia | Fluoxetine 40 mg/day[ |
| Cardiogenic Shock | Imipramine 150 mg/day[ |
| Seizures | Fluoxetine 20 mg/day[ Mirtazapine[ |
| Galactorrhea | Paroxetine 25 mg/day[ |
| Mania due to antidepressant withdrawal | Imipramine 150 mg/day[ |
| Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding | Sertraline 100 mg/day[ |
| Bleeding gums | Duloxetine 40 mg/day[ |
| Safety in overdose | Paroxetine 560 mg/day[ |
| Serotonin syndrome | Sertraline, trazodone and tramadol[ |
Lithium carbonate, amlodipine, phenytoin, sertraline, trazodone and escitalopram[ | |
| Facial Paresthesia/facial | Sertraline[ |
| numbness and dysmorphic symptoms | Fluoxetine 20 mg/day[ |
| Behavioral activiation and Suicidality | Escitalopram[ |
Dosing studies of antidepressants
| Authors | Duration (in weeks) | Sample size/scale/design | Medication(s) | Dose (s) in mg | Outcome | Side-effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatterjee and Dayal[ | 6-12 | N = 80 | IMN IM injection vs oral | 25 -100 | Parenteral IMN more effective Response to injections is quicker and the S/E are less evident and greater margin of safety is obtained parenterally | Most common S/E: Dryness of the mouth, severe constipation and tremors |
| DeSouza | 2 weeks | N = 3; HDRS | Parental NTZ (2 dosing schedules) | 2 dosing schedules (Schedule A- 75 mg- im Schedule B 50 mg im and 50 mg oral/day) | 72.72% of subjects receiving “Schedule- A” were rated as recovered by the day 12 and 100% of those in Schedule ‘ B ’ were rated as improved by the 8th day Sx response similar with both dosing schedules | Intramuscular NTZ was well tolerated S/E reported: Giddiness, restlessness, palpitation, breathlessness, chest pain, visual black out, perspiration S/E more commonly seen in doing a schedule |
| Sharma and Nandkumar[ | 4 weeks | N = 20 | DTP (OD dose vs divided doses) | 75-150 | 2 subjects receiving divided doses showed marked improvement, 4 showed moderate improvement, 2 showed slight improvement and 1had no change in his depression 1 subject receiving single dose showed marked improvement, 3 had moderate improvement, 1 had slight improvement, 1 had no change and 3 showed worsening of depression | S/E similar with both the doses |
| Shah | 6 weeks | N = 28; HDRS, DBCT | DTP (Single dose vs. divided doses) | 225 | 64.28% in the single dose and 71.42% in the divided dose group had >50% reduction in HDRS No difference in response rate between single and multiple dosing | Dryness of mouth, tremors, burning sensation in the body and constipation were the only side-effects S/E more common with single dose |
| Singh | 4-6 | N = 57 DBRCT, HDRS | NTZ (single vs. tid dose) | 75-150 | At both 4 and 6 weeks, OD dose better than divided doses 70% reduction in HDRS score with no significant difference between the 2 dosing schedule at 4 weeks | Common S/E reported were dryness of mouth and constipation No significant difference in S/E profile between single and divided doses |
| Sharma and Hegde[ | 4 weeks | N = 43; HDRS, DBCT (Baseline HDRS >30) | DXN (Single vs. tid dose) | 75-150 | 94% in the OD dose and 81% in the divided dose group had >50% reduction in HDRS At least 35.29% in the OD dose and 24% in the divided dose group achieved remission No difference in response rate between OD and multiple dosing | S/Es reported were mild and did not require discontinuation of medication Subjects receiving OD dose didn’t report S/E like palpitation, nausea, vomiting or blurred vision |
| Sharma[ | 4 weeks | N = 30; HDRS, DBCT, Mean Baseline HDRS >35 | DTP (Single vs. tid dose) | 75 | No significant difference between the groups in terms of reduction in mean Hamilton scores Pattern of reduction in the mean Hamilton scores is similar to both the groups | No difference in S/E reported between the 2 dosing schedules |
| Malhotra and Santosh[ | N = 16; DSM - IIIR DBRCT | IMN Loading dose vs. conventional dosing | IMN hydrochloride can relieve depression almost completely within 72 hrs, if given in high bolus doses |
IMN - Imipramine; IM - Intra muscular; S/E - Side-effects; HDRS - Hamilton depression rating scale; NTZ - Nitroxazepine; DTP - Dothiepin; DBCT - Double blind controlled trial; DXN - Doxepin
Studies evaluating the efficacy of imipramine in childhood onset disorders
| Authors | Duration (in weeks) | Sample size/scale/design | Dose (s) in mg | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatterjee and Khandpur[ | 6-8 | N=22 open label, (5-14 years) enuresis | 25-100 | Good response (<1 week) - 4 cases Delayed response (2-4 weeks) -14 cases No response - 2 cases Abandoned - 2 (1-S/E; 1- otherwise) |
| Mahendru | 12 | N=75 open label, behaviorally disturbed children age - 4 to 15 years | 20-50 | 58 of the 75 completed the trial At 4 weeks - 46% of enuretic subjects recovered completely, 21% partially and 32% had no improvement At 12 weeks - complete recovery - 68%; partial - 8%; no recovery - 24% Recovery more in subjects with mild enuresis at the beginning At 12 weeks - in obstinacy and temper - 53% favorable response, 47% - no improvement Better response in intellectually average group (73%); compared to mentally retarded children (52%) |
Usefulness of antidepressants (findings from case reports/case series/descriptive studies)
| Antidepressant | Condition |
|---|---|
| Fluoxetine | Trichotillomania with trichobezoar[ |
| Atypical bulimia Nervosa[ | |
| Skin Picking[ | |
| Persistent developmental stuttering[ | |
| Primary hypersomnia[ | |
| Improves cognitive functioning in depression[ | |
| Dothiepin | Proctalgia fugax with dysthymia[ |
| Paroxetine | Palmar-plantar hyperhidrosis[ |
| Tranylcypromine | Severe resistant depression[ |
| Zemelidine | Obsessive Compulsive disorder[ |
| Sertraline | Chronic tension type headache:[ |
| Late onset pedophilia[ | |
| Escitalopram | Transvestic fetishism[ |
| Fluoxetine, Sertraline | Trichotillomania in children and adolescent[ |
| Amitriptyline | Clozapine induced sialorrhea[ |