TY - JOUR
T1 - Efficacy and tolerability of tranylcypromine versus phenelzine
T2 - a double-blind study in antidepressant-refractory depressed inpatients
AU - Birkenhäger, Tom K.
AU - Van Den Broek, Walter W.
AU - Mulder, Paul G.
AU - Bruijn, Jan A.
AU - Moleman, Peter
PY - 2004/11
Y1 - 2004/11
N2 - Background: The aim of this study was to examine whether phenelzine is a suitable alternative to tranylcypromine in antidepressant-resistant depression. Method: A total of 77 severely depressed inpatients, meeting the DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder, who failed to respond to fixed plasma level treatment with either tricyclic antidepressants or fluvoxamine were withdrawn from psychotropic medication and included in a double-blind flexible-dose 5-week comparison of tranylcypromine and phenelzine. Results: Of the 77 patients, 67 (87%) completed the trial, of whom 35 (52%) responded. No significant differences in response between both drugs were observed. Seventeen (44%) of 39 patients responded to tranylcypromine and 18 (47%) of 38 to phenelzine (≥ 50% reduction in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression [HAM-D] score). The mean reduction in HAM-D score was 10.4 ± 8.3 for the tranylcypromine sample versus 8.3 ± 8.4 for the phenelzine-treated patients. Only a few patients (10%) used concomitant psychotropic medication. A substantial number of patients experienced severe side effects, mainly dizziness, agitation, and insomnia; the incidence was the same in both samples (21%). Conclusion: No difference in efficacy was observed between both monoamine oxidase inhibitors in a sample of patients with severe antidepressant-refractory depression. Phenelzine appears to be a suitable alternative to tranylcypromine.
AB - Background: The aim of this study was to examine whether phenelzine is a suitable alternative to tranylcypromine in antidepressant-resistant depression. Method: A total of 77 severely depressed inpatients, meeting the DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder, who failed to respond to fixed plasma level treatment with either tricyclic antidepressants or fluvoxamine were withdrawn from psychotropic medication and included in a double-blind flexible-dose 5-week comparison of tranylcypromine and phenelzine. Results: Of the 77 patients, 67 (87%) completed the trial, of whom 35 (52%) responded. No significant differences in response between both drugs were observed. Seventeen (44%) of 39 patients responded to tranylcypromine and 18 (47%) of 38 to phenelzine (≥ 50% reduction in Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression [HAM-D] score). The mean reduction in HAM-D score was 10.4 ± 8.3 for the tranylcypromine sample versus 8.3 ± 8.4 for the phenelzine-treated patients. Only a few patients (10%) used concomitant psychotropic medication. A substantial number of patients experienced severe side effects, mainly dizziness, agitation, and insomnia; the incidence was the same in both samples (21%). Conclusion: No difference in efficacy was observed between both monoamine oxidase inhibitors in a sample of patients with severe antidepressant-refractory depression. Phenelzine appears to be a suitable alternative to tranylcypromine.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=16544395310&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4088/JCP.v65n1110
DO - 10.4088/JCP.v65n1110
M3 - Article
C2 - 15554763
SN - 0160-6689
VL - 65
SP - 1505
EP - 1510
JO - Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
JF - Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
IS - 11
ER -