A double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of fluoxetine in geriatric patients with major depression. The Fluoxetine Collaborative Study Group

Depression in the geriatric population is a frequent, serious, and potentially reversible disorder, yet relatively few blinded, controlled, antidepressant trials have been reported. A number of age related issues complicate safe and effective pharmacotherapy. In a 6-week, double-blind trial in moder...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International psychogeriatrics 1995, Vol.7 (1), p.89
Main Authors: Tollefson, G D, Bosomworth, J C, Heiligenstein, J H, Potvin, J H, Holman, S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Depressive Disorder - drug therapy
Depressive Disorder - psychology
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Double-Blind Method
Drug Administration Schedule
Female
Fluoxetine - adverse effects
Fluoxetine - therapeutic use
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Personality Inventory
Treatment Outcome
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Summary:Depression in the geriatric population is a frequent, serious, and potentially reversible disorder, yet relatively few blinded, controlled, antidepressant trials have been reported. A number of age related issues complicate safe and effective pharmacotherapy. In a 6-week, double-blind trial in moderately to severely depressed (nonpsychotic) outpatients over age 60, fluoxetine (N = 335) was statistically significantly more efficacious than placebo (N = 336) in overall response (43.9% vs. 31.6%, p = .002) and remission (31.6% vs. 18.6%, p < .001) rates. Analyses of early discontinuations because of an adverse drug event revealed no statistically significantly greater rate with fluoxetine (n = 39; 11.6) than was seen with placebo (n = 29; 8.6%). These results corroborate that major depression in an older population is responsive to antidepressant pharmacotherapy. Specifically, fluoxetine, at a conventional 20-mg dose, was both safe and effective relative to placebo in this special population.
ISSN:1041-6102