PAROXETINE IN THE ELDERLY DEPRESSED PATIENT - RANDOMIZED COMPARISON WITH FLUOXETINE OF EFFICACY, COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIORAL-EFFECTS

The efficacy of paroxetine and fluoxetine and their effects on cogniti ve and behavioural function were compared in a 6 week, double-blind, r andomized study of 106 elderly depressed patients (aged 61 to 85 years ). Antidepressant efficacy was assessed using the Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD), Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale. The Sandoz Clinical Asses sment Geriatric scale (SCAG), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) , and HAMD cognitive factor scores were used to assess cognitive and b ehavioural function. Paroxetine demonstrated comparable efficacy to fl uoxetine in the treatment of elderly depressed patients, but at the en d of treatment, there was a significantly higher proportion of respond ers to paroxetine than to fluoxetine. Both treatments produced improve ments in all measures of cognitive and behavioural function, but parox etine was significantly superior to fluoxetine from Week 3, indicating a possible early effect. There was no difference between the two agen ts in either the tolerability or safety of treatment.