Efficacy of citalopram in the prevention of recurrent depression in elderly patients: placebo-controlled study of maintenance therapy.

Background: The highly recurrent nature of major depression in the young and the elderly warrants long-term antidepressant treatment.

Aims: To compare the prophylactic efficacy of citalopram and placebo in elderly patients; to evaluate long-term tolerability of citalopram.

Method: Out-patients, > or =65 years, with unipolar major depression (DSM-IV: 296.