NEFAZODONE AND IMIPRAMINE IN MAJOR DEPRESSION - A PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL

Nefazodone is a phenylpiperazine antidepressant with 5-HT2 antagonism and 5-HT reuptake inhibition. Two hundred and eighty-three out-patient s with a diagnosis of DSM-III-R major depression of at least one-month duration (65% ill for over 6 months), and a mean score of 24 on the 1 7-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), were randomised to treatment with nefazodone, imipramine, or placebo. The double-blind t reatment period was 8 weeks in duration. Nefazodone's antidepressant e fficacy was comparable with imipramine's, with both drug treatments si gnificantly better than placebo in a variety of outcome measures. For example, after 8 weeks of therapy, 78% of nefazodone and 83% of imipra mine but only 55% of placebo patients (P<0.01) were globally much or v ery much improved. Nefazodone was better tolerated than imipramine, wi th fewer drop-ours and a lower incidence of side-effects during treatm ent.