[Efficacy and tolerability of paroxetine in the treatment of the depressive phase of bipolar disorders]. / La paroxetina nel disturbo bipolare in fase depressiva.

Eighty patients aged between 20-65 years and suffering from bipolar disease according to DSM IV criteria, were treated with paroxetine for os at the single dosage of 20-40 mg/die. At regular intervals psychometric reagents were administered for the evaluation and the variations in the bipolar disease. Tolerability was excellent and side-effects mild, with a tendency to regress after the second week of therapy. The clinical assessment and the psychometric findings both suggest that paroxetina has a useful action on the bipolar disease.

[Bipolar disorder: clinical trials with fluoxetine]. / Disturbo bipolare: esperienze cliniche con fluoxetina.

Sixty patients (39 females and 21 males) aged between 20 and 65 (average 48.5) with bipolar disorder in the depressive phase, according to the DSM III-R diagnostic criteria, were treated with fluoxetine (20-60 mg/die) for 8 weeks. Evaluation of therapeutical efficacy was performed at 0 time and after 14, 28, 42, and 56 days, using the following psychometric tests; HAM-D, SCL-90, CGI. At the end of treatment 42 patients (70%) showed a reduction of the HAM-D score over 50%. Clinical results suggest that fluoxetine is affective in bipolar disorder. Tolerability was judged good and very good in 76% of patients. Side effects were very mild and in any case of rapid regression.

[Fluoxetine and depression in the elderly. Clinical experience]. / Fluoxetina e depressione nell'anziano. Esperienze cliniche.

Eighty-six patients aged between 60 and 80 years and affected with major depression according to the diagnostic criteria of the DSM III-R were treated with fluoxetine per os at the single dosage of 20 mg/die. At prearranged intervals psychometric reagents were administered for the evaluation of any variations in the depressive symptomatology. Already at the 1st examination after 14 days' treatment a considerable improvement in the psychopathological picture was observed. This improvement remained constant at the subsequent examinations and the follow-up after 90 days. The tolerability was excellent and the side effect mild, with a tendency to regress after the first days of therapy. The clinical assessment and the psychometric findings both suggest that fluoxetine has a useful action on major depression in the elderly.