BROFAROMINE VERSUS LITHIUM ADDITION TO MAPROTILINE - A DOUBLE-BLIND-STUDY IN MAPROTILINE REFRACTORY DEPRESSED OUTPATIENTS

Depressed outpatients (n = 51) resistant to treatment with maprotiline were treated in a blind, randomized, single-centre study, for 6 weeks with either the reversible and selective monoamine oxidase A-inhibito r (MAO-A-I), brofaromine or lithium addition to maprotiline. The Hamil ton Rating Scale for Depression was scored by an independent rater bef ore and after the 6 week treatment period. No significant differences in efficacy were found between the two treatment regimes. In the patie nts who completed the trial, brofaromine was well tolerated with the e xception of insomnia. Anticholinergic effects as well as thyroid dysfu nctions (17 out of 20) were more frequent in the maprotiline/lithium g roup.