Posted by ed_uk on August 6, 2005, at 10:31:19
In reply to Re: Do SSRIs work?, posted by SLS on August 6, 2005, at 6:19:05
>Am J Psychiatry. 2000 Sep;157(9):1445-52.
Gender differences in treatment response to sertraline versus imipramine in chronic depression.
Kornstein SG, Schatzberg AF, Thase ME, Yonkers KA, McCullough JP, Keitner GI, Gelenberg AJ, Davis SM, Harrison WM, Keller MB.
Department of Psychiatry, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0710, USA. skornstein@hsc.vcu.edu
OBJECTIVE: The authors examined gender differences in treatment response to sertraline, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), and to imipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant, in chronic depression. METHOD: A total of 235 male and 400 female outpatients with DSM-III-R chronic major depression or double depression (i.e., major depression superimposed on dysthymia) were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of double-blind treatment with sertraline or with imipramine after placebo washout. RESULTS: Women were significantly more likely to show a favorable response to sertraline than to imipramine, and men were significantly more likely to show a favorable response to imipramine than to sertraline. Gender and type of medication were also significantly related to dropout rates; women who were taking imipramine and men who were taking sertraline were more likely to withdraw from the study. Gender differences in time to response were seen with imipramine, with women responding significantly more slowly than men. Comparison of treatment response rates by menopausal status showed that premenopausal women responded significantly better to sertraline than to imipramine and that postmenopausal women had similar rates of response to the two medications. CONCLUSIONS: Men and women with chronic depression show differential responsivity to and tolerability of SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants. The differing response rates between the drug classes in women was observed primarily in premenopausal women. Thus, female sex hormones may enhance response to SSRIs or inhibit response to tricyclics. Both gender and menopausal status should be considered when choosing an appropriate antidepressant for a depressed patient.
That's very interesting Scott, thanks for posting that.
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This is also interesting (I'm sure you've read it before though!)..........
Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2003 Jul;108(1):20-3.
A differential response to nortriptyline and fluoxetine in melancholic depression: the importance of age and gender.
Joyce PR, Mulder RT, Luty SE, McKenzie JM, Rae AM.
Department of Psychological Medicine, Christchurch School of Medicine & Health Sciences, PO Box 4345, Christchurch, New Zealand. peter.joyce@chmeds.ac.nz
OBJECTIVE: To consider the impact of age and gender on the antidepressant response to nortriptyline and fluoxetine in melancholic depression. METHOD: Of 191 depressed patients, 113 met study criteria for melancholia. All patients were randomized to receive either fluoxetine or nortriptyline. Response rates, defined as an improvement of 60% or more on the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale over 6 weeks of antidepressant treatment on an intention to treat basis, were examined by age, and by age and gender. RESULTS: Melancholic depressed patients 40 years or older, especially men, had a markedly superior response to nortriptyline compared with fluoxetine. Conversely, melancholic depressed patients, age 18-24 years, especially women, had a markedly superior response to fluoxetine. CONCLUSION: Age and gender appear to be critical variables in understanding differential antidepressant responses to tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in melancholic depression.
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Another study found that.........'We failed to find evidence of women having a preferential response to SSRI medication or, conversely, of men having a superior response to TCA medication. Older age, however, was associated with a superior TCA response and younger age with a superior SSRI response.'
.......................................................Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2000 Spring;8(2):141-9.
Heuristic comparison of sertraline with nortriptyline for the treatment of depression in frail elderly patients.Oslin DW, Streim JE, Katz IR, Smith BD, DiFilippo SD, Ten Have TR, Cooper T.
Section of Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104, USA. oslin@mail.med.upenn.edu
Studies have demonstrated that the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants have similar efficacy to other agents, such as tricyclic antidepressants. However, data are limited for direct comparisons with other antidepressants. The authors conducted a contemporaneous comparison of nursing home residents treated with open-label sertraline in doses up to 100 mg/day with nursing home residents treated in a double-blind randomized study of low vs. regular doses of nortriptyline. There were 97 patients enrolled in the study (28 treated with sertraline), with an average treatment duration of 55 days. There were no differences in the tolerability of sertraline vs. nortriptyline. However, in this group of frail older adults, sertraline was not as effective as nortriptyline for the treatment of depression.
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Int Psychogeriatr. 1999 Mar;11(1):85-99.
Comparative efficacy and safety of sertraline versus nortriptyline in major depression in patients 70 and older.
Finkel SI, Richter EM, Clary CM.
Northwestern University Medical School, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Chicago, IL 60611-3317, USA. sfinkel104@aol.com
BACKGROUND: Few randomized, double-blind studies that examine antidepressant treatment in patients 70 years and older are available. To provide additional data on the safety and efficacy of antidepressants in this rapidly growing population segment, a subgroup analysis of a larger sertraline vs. nortriptyline elderly depression treatment study was performed. METHODS: Outpatients (N = 76) who met DSM-III-R criteria for major depression with a minimum Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) severity score of 18 were randomized to 12 weeks of flexible dose treatment with sertraline (50-150 mg) or nortriptyline (25-100 mg). RESULTS: Both treatments significantly improved depression as measured by the HAM-D and Clinical Global Impression scales. At Weeks 10, 12, and endpoint, sertraline demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in depression severity compared to nortriptyline as measured by improvement on the 24-item HAM-D (mean adjusted change score of 14.8 vs. 7.6, respectively, at Week 12; p = .001). Sixty-five percent of sertraline-treated patients were responders by Week 12 (50% or greater reduction from baseline in 24-item HAM-D score) compared to 26% of nortriptyline-treated patients (p < .05). Sertraline treatment had a significantly more positive effect, when compared to nortriptyline, across almost all associated measures of cognitive function, energy, anxiety, and quality of life and was better tolerated than nortriptyline, with a lower attrition rate/side effect burden. CONCLUSION: The efficacy advantage of sertraline appeared to be even greater in this subgroup of older patients drawn from a larger treatment study of depression that included elderly individuals over the age of 60.
CONFUSED? I am!
~Ed
poster:ed_uk
thread:537656
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050803/msgs/538256.html