Effect on body weight of bupropion sustained-release in patients with major depression treated for 52 weeks.

Background: Short-term studies have demonstrated a modest weight-reducing to weight-neutral effect among patients receiving bupropion sustained-release (SR) for the treatment of depression.

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the long-term effects of bupropion SR on body weight in patients with depression.

Methods: This analysis was conducted within a long-term relapse-prevention study in patients with major depression.

Prevalence of sexual dysfunction among newer antidepressants.

Background: Sexual dysfunction commonly occurs during antidepressant treatment. However, the reported rates of sexual dysfunction vary across antidepressants and are typically underreported in product literature. The objectives of this study were (1) to estimate the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among patients taking newer antidepressants (bupropion immediate release [IR], bupropion sustained release [SR], citalopram, fluoxetine, mirtazapine, nefazodone, paroxetine, sertraline, venlafaxine, and venlafaxine extended release [XR]) and (2) to compare physician-perceived with patient-reported prevalence rates of antidepressant-associated sexual dysfunction.

Continuation phase treatment with bupropion SR effectively decreases the risk for relapse of depression.

Background: This was the first controlled continuation phase study (up to 1-year total treatment) to evaluate the safety and efficacy of bupropion SR for decreasing the risk for relapse of depression in patients who responded to bupropion SR.

Methods: Patients with recurrent major depression were treated with bupropion SR 300 mg/day during an 8-week open-label phase. Responders (based on Clinical Global Impressions Scale for Improvement of Illness scores) entered a randomized, double-blind phase where they received bupropion SR 300 mg/day or placebo for up to 44 weeks.