Patterns of symptom improvement during antidepressant treatment of delusional depression

We assessed the pattern of changes in depressive symptoms in delusional dep ressed inpatients treated openly with 300 mg/day of fluvoxamine for 6 weeks . We studied 59 inpatients affected by bipolar (n = 23) and major depressiv e (n = 36) disorders with psychotic features (DSM-IV) who showed complete r esponses to fluvoxamine treatment. Responses were evaluated using the Hamil ton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-21, divided into: Core, Activity, Psy chic anxiety, Somatic anxiety and Delusion clusters) administered at baseli ne and weekly until the 6th week. Random Regression Model (RRM) analysis wa s used to investigate the longitudinal time course of HAMD clusters. HAMD d epressive symptom clusters decreased in a parallel manner from baseline to the end of the 6-week trial. The RRM analysis revealed no significant diffe rence between HAMD clusters and the time course of the total HAMD score dur ing treatment. Our data indicate that there is a simultaneous decrease in d epressive symptoms during antidepressant treatment of delusional depressive s. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.