D. Bakish et al., RITANSERIN, IMIPRAMINE, AND PLACEBO IN THE TREATMENT OF DYSTHYMIC DISORDER, Journal of clinical psychopharmacology, 13(6), 1993, pp. 409-414
Fifty outpatients with dysthymic disorder (DSM-III) were divided by do
uble-blind randomized assignment into three groups given ritanserin, i
mipramine, and placebo, respectively. The trial was of 7 weeks' durati
on; by week 6, imipramine was clearly superior to placebo, whereas by
week 7, both drugs caused significantly more improvement than the plac
ebo. Although imipramine had slightly greater efficacy than ritanserin
, it also had significantly more side effects. This was particularly e
vident in the higher dropout rate with imipramine. The efficacy and si
de effect profile of ritanserin makes it well tolerated and acceptable
with dysthymic patients who, although they do not respond as quickly
as patients with major depressive disorder, do show significant improv
ement, given sufficient time.