Meta-analysis shows difference between antidepressants and placebo is only significant in severe depression

doi:10.1136/bmj.39503.656852.DB

BMJ, doi: 10.1136/bmj.39503.656852.DB, (Published 26 February 2008)

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Meta-analysis shows difference between antidepressants and placebo is only significant in severe depression

Susan Mayor

¹ London

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

New generation antidepressants achieve almost no benefit comparedwith placebo in mild to moderate depression, with slightly morebenefit in severe depression but only because of less responseto placebo, a meta-analysis of clinical trial data has shown.

Researchers analysed all available data from clinical trialssubmitted to the US Food and Drug Administration for the licensingof four selective serotonin or serotonin-noradrenaline reuptakeinhibitors—fluoxetine (Prozac), venlafaxine (Efexor),nefazodone (Serzone), and paroxetine (Seroxat, Paxil).

They analysed the degree to which people improved in relationto the initial severity of the depression in people randomisedto drug or placebo.

Results showed almost no difference between the effects of drugtreatment and placebo at moderate levels of initial depression,rising to a relatively small difference in patients with severedepression. On average, the antidepressants improved the scoreon the Hamilton scale of depression by 1.8 points more thanplacebo (PLoS Medicine . . . [Full text of this article]

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