ANTIDEPRESSANT EFFICACY AND QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN DEPRESSION - A DOUBLE-BLIND-STUDY WITH MOCLOBEMIDE AND FLUOXETINE

The efficacy of moclobemide (300-450 mg/day) was compared with fluoxet ine (20-40 mg/day) in a double-blind, multicentre study in 209 patient s with new episodes of depression selected from 612 consecutive depres sed patients representative of those consulting psychiatric services i n Finland. Antidepressant efficacy was assessed with the Hamilton Depr ession Rating Scale (HDRS), Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale and Clinical Global Impression (CGI). The Medical Outcome Study Short- form General Health Survey (SF-20) and 15D Measure of Quality of Life were used to measure effectiveness in terms of health-related quality of life. Efficacy was evident with both drug treatments, with 67% in t he moclobemide group and 57% in the fluoxetine group having a reductio n in HDRS of more than 50%. Similarly, 77% of the patients in the mocl obemide group and 67% in the fluoxetine group were assessed on the CGI as much better or very much better after 6 weeks of treatment. The mo st commonly reported adverse events were nausea, other gastrointestina l symptoms, nervousness, dizziness and sleep disorders. Nausea was sig nificantly more common in the fluoxetine group and was found especiall y in women. Premature terminations of treatment were 18% in the moclob emide and 21% in the fluoxetine group. A significant change for the be tter in quality of life was found in both treatment groups, even at we ek 2 but especially after 6 weeks of treatment. Improvement was not on ly seen in dimensions measuring depression or mental health but also i n other dimensions.