A DOUBLE-BLIND-STUDY COMPARING THE EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY OF MIRTAZAPINE AND DOXEPIN IN PATIENTS WITH MAJOR DEPRESSION

One hundred and sixty-three patients with major depression were random ly assigned to treatment with mirtazapine or doxepin for 6 weeks in a double-blind clinical trial. Initially, patients received mirtazapine 20 mg/day or doxepin 75 mg/day; dosages were then titrated up to a max imum of 60 mg/day and 300 mg/day, respectively. Both drugs produced co nsiderable improvement in depressive symptoms with no statistically si gnificant differences between the two patient groups. In the mirtazapi ne group only two patients prematurely terminated the study due to adv erse drug experiences, as compared to six in the doxepin-treated group . Moreover, doxepin-treated patients complained more frequently of dry mouth and movement disorders. In conclusion, mirtazapine is an effect ive treatment for major depression and appears to offer advantages in tolerability over doxepin.