Abstract
Paroxetine is a phenylpiperidine compound which is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Ninety-one hospitalised patients with a major depression (DSM-III) aged 65 and over from six Austrian and one German center were entered into the study, which compared the efficacy and tolerability of paroxetine versus amitriptyline. After 6 weeks both groups showed similarly good therapeutic results. In the paroxetine group, 64.3% of the patients had a 50% or more reduction of the HAMD total score compared to 58.1% in the amitriptyline group. Side effects were distributed similarly in both groups. Patients in the paroxetine group showed a higher incidence of anxiety and agitation; anticholinergic side effects were registered more often in the amitriptyline group.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Psychiatric Association (1980) DSM-III: diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 3rd edn. APA, Washington DC
Buus Lassen F (1978) Potent and long lasting potentiation of two 5-hydroxy induced effects in mice by three selective 5-HT uptake inhibitors. Eur J Pharmacol 47:351–358
Cohn JB, Crowder JE, Wilcox CS, Ryan PJ (1990) A placebo- and imipramine-controlled study of paroxetine. Psychopharmacol Bull 26:185–189
De Vane CL (1992) Pharmacokinetics of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. J Clin Psychiatry 53[2, suppl]:13–20
Dunbar GC, Cohn JB, Fabre LF, Feighner JP, Fieve RR, Mendels J, Shrivastava RK (1991) A comparison of paroxetine, imipramine and placebo in depressed out-patients. Br J Psychiatry 159:394–398
Dunbar GC, Fuell DL (1992) The anti-anxiety and Anti-agitation effects of paroxetine in depressed patients. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 6[4, suppl]:81–90
Feighner JP, Boyer WF (1992) Paroxetine in the treatment of depression: a comparison with imipramine and placebo. J Clin Psychiatry 53[2, suppl]:44–47
Geretsegger C, Boehmer F, Ludwig M (1994) Paroxetine in the elderly depressed patient: randomized comparison with fluoxetine of efficacy, cognitive and behavioural effects. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 9:25–29
Gorman JM, Liebowitz MR, Fyer AJ, Goetz D, Campeas RB, Fyer MR, Davies SO, Klein DF (1987) An open trial of fluoxetine in the treatment of panic attacks. J Clin Psychopharmacol 7:329–332
Guillibert E, Pelcier Y, Archambault JC, Chabannes JP, Clerc G, Desvilles M, Guibert M, Pagot R, Poisat JL, Thobie Y (1989) A double-blind, multicenter study of paroxetine versus clomipramine in depressed elderly patients. Acta Psychiatr Scand 80[350, suppl]:132–134
Hamilton M (1960) A rating sclae for depression. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 23:56–62
Hutchinson DR, Tong S, Moon CAL, Vince M, Clarke A (1992) Paroxetine in the treatment of elderly depressed patients in general practice: A double-blind comparison with amitriptyline. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 6[4, suppl]:43–52
Jefferson JW (1975) A review of the cardiovascular effects and toxicity of tricyclic antidepressants. Psychosom Med 37:160–179
Laursen AL, Mikkelsen PL, Rasmussen S, Le Fevre Honore P (1985) Paroxetine in the treatment of depression — a randomized comparison with amitriptyline. Acta Psychiatr Scand 71:249–255
Mertens C, Pintens H (1989) A double-blind, multicenter study of paroxetine and mianserin in depression. Acta Psychiatr Scand 80[350, suppl]:140
Montgomery SA (1992) The advantages of paroxetine in different subgroups of depression. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 6[4, suppl]:91–100
Montgomery SA, Asberg M (1979) A new depression scale designed to be sensitive to change. Br J Psychiatry 134:382–389
National Institute of Mental Health (1976) CGI. Clinical global Impressions. In: Guy (ed) ECDEU assessment manual for psychopharmacology. revised edn. Rockville, Maryland, pp 217–222
Stuppaeck CH, Geretsegger C, Whitworth AB, Schubert H, Platz T, Koenig P, Hinterhuber H, Fleischhacker WW (1994) A multicenter double-blind trial of paroxetine vs. amitriptyline in depressed in-patients. J Clin Psychopharmacol 14:241–246
Tignol J (1994) A double-blind, randomized, fluoxetine-controlled, multicenter study of paroxetine in the treatment of depression. J Clin Psychopharmacol 13[2, suppl]:18–22
Tulloch IF, Johnson AM (1992) The pharmacologic profile of paroxetine, a new selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. J Clin Psychiatry 53[2, suppl]:7–12
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Geretsegger, C., Fartacek, R., Stuppaeck, C.H. et al. Multicenter double blind study of paroxetine and amitriptyline in elderly depressed inpatients. Psychopharmacology 119, 277–281 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02246291
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02246291