[Comparative efficacy and tolerability of paroxetine and amitriptiline in long-term therapy preventing depressive recurrences].

An open comparative randomized study of paroxetine (selective inhibitor of serotonin re-uptake) and tricyclic antidepressant amitriptiline has been conducted. These drugs were used for the treatment of 43 patients with recurrent depression (RD) with frequent relapses (ICD-10 F33.0-F33.2) during 12 months. There were 2 groups matched for demographic and clinical data, one included 21 patients treated by paroxetine and the other 22 patients switched to amitriptiline. Basing on clinical records and scores on a number of scales, i.e. HAM-D, CGI, quality of life, high efficacy of the drugs was confirmed, being estimated as 90,5% responders in the paroxetine group and 69,2% in the amitriptiline one, with the marked advantage of the former medication. The better tolerability, possibility of single intake and absence of severe side-effects argue for preferable use of paroxetine during long-term therapy in RD patients with frequent relapses.

[Preventive efficacy of tianeptine in recurrent depression with frequent exacerbations]. / Profilakticheskaia éffektivnost' tianeptina pri rekurrentnoi depressii s chastymi obostreniiami.

The results of the studies of 4 Russian research centers are summarized. Tianeptine (coaxil) was used in the treatment of 55 patients with ICD-10 diagnosis of recurrent depressive disorder (F32.1), 50 patients have completely finished the treatment. Tianeptine was assigned in dosage of 12.5 mg 3 times daily (patients over 65 years old received 25.0 mg daily) during 12 months. The drug was shown to have a high preventive efficacy for the disorder. Sixty-one percent of patients were full-responders. Taken together with partial responders (13%), an improvement was observed in 74% patients. The drug demonstrated a well tolerability with a rare and mild expression of side-effects.

[Clinical efficacy and tolerability of tianeptine in treatment of depression (Russian open multicenter trial)]. / Klinicheskaia éffektivnost' i perenosimost' tianeptina pri depressii (otkrytoe rossiiskoe mul'titsentrovoe issledovanie).

One hundred and forty two patients with ICD-10 diagnosis of depression from 7 research scientific were treated with tianeptine (coaxil); 124 have completed the treatment course. Moderate depression was diagnosed in 111 patients (89.5%) and severe depression--in 13 (10.5%). A duration of the last episode before treatment was 7.1 +/- 1.7 months. The mean score by Hamilton depression scale was 24.4 +/- 4.0. The patients received tianeptine as a monotherapy in dosage 12.5 mg, 3 times daily during 6 weeks (65-year olds and older were given 25 mg daily). Tianeptine proved to be an antidepressant with balanced action, i.e., exerted thymoanaleptic, anxiolytic and activating effects. The treatment was beneficial for 70.4% of the patients; remission was revealed in 58%. The medication was well tolerated with rare and weakly pronounced side effects.