The clinical effect of clomipramine in chronic idiopathic pain disorder revisited using the Spielberger State Anxiety Symptom Scale (SSASS) as outcome scale.

Background: We have re-analysed our previous double-blind, placebo-controlled clomipramine study, changing the focus from depression to anxiety both in the response analysis and in the classification of minor affective states.

Methods: The Spielberger State Anxiety Symptom Scale (SSASS) including only the negatively phrased items was used to measure the pure anxiolytic effect. The analgesic effect was measured by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for bodily pain.

Paroxetine and imipramine in the treatment of depressive patients in psychiatric practice.

A total of 151 outpatients with endogenous or mixed endogenous and reactive depression were included in a 6-week double-blind study, with extension for up to 1 year, in psychiatric practice. The results showed trends in efficacy variables and a statistically significant difference in a benefit-risk ratio in favour of paroxetine (Seroxat, Paxil) compared with imipramine. Efficacy was largely maintained in both groups during long-term treatment.

Combined treatment with imipramine and mianserin. A controlled pilot study.

The effect of imipramine plus mianserin and imipramine plus a placebo was compared in 40 depressed patients with a median age of 60 years. The imipramine dosage was flexible to give a plasma concentration around 200 nmol/l and mianserin was given at a fixed dosage of 30 mg daily. After six weeks of treatment the results showed that the scores on the Hamilton Depression Scale as well as on the Melancholia Scale were significantly more improved in the imipramine-plus-minaserin group than in the group of patients receiving imipramine alone (P less than 0.

Imipramine binding in depressed patients with psychogenic pain.

Imipramine binding to platelet membranes from depressed patients was analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups: one with depression alone, another with depression and psychogenic pain. The depressed patients with psychogenic pain had lower imipramine binding than the depressed patients without pain.

Clomipramine and mianserin in the treatment of chronic tension headache. A double-blind, controlled study.

114 patients with chronic tension headache (more than 10 days per month for at least 6 months) were treated with placebo, clomipramine or mianserin in a double blind parallel group comparison. Eighty-two patients completed the study. Headache pain was scored weekly on visual analogue scales for the 6 weeks of treatment.