Vortioxetine versus reuptake inhibitors in adults with major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Although vortioxetine demonstrates superior efficacy relative to placebo, there is still a lack of robust evidence to determine whether it offers advantages over commonly prescribed antidepressants for treating major depressive disorder (MDD). Thus, we aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing vortioxetine vs reuptake inhibitors in adults with MDD, analyzing two classes separately: (i) vortioxetine vs SSRIs and (ii) vortioxetine vs SNRIs.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for randomized controlled trials comparing vortioxetine with SSRIs or SNRIs in adults with a primary diagnosis of MDD following standardized diagnostic criteria.