Psychosocial functioning during the treatment of major depressive disorder with fluoxetine.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with significant disability, having a profound impact on psychosocial functioning. Therefore, studying the impact of treatment on psychosocial functioning in MDD could help further improve the standard of care.

Methods: Two hundred twenty-two MDD outpatients were treated openly with 20 mg fluoxetine for 8 weeks.

Psychiatric comorbidity as a predictor of clinical response to nortriptyline in treatment-resistant major depressive disorder.

Background: A number of studies of major depressive disorder suggest that psychiatric co-morbidity may contribute to treatment resistance. The purpose of this study was to test whether the presence of comorbid Axis I and Axis II disorders predicts clinical response to an open trial of nor-triptyline among patients with treatment-resistant depression.

Method: Ninety-two outpatients with treatment-resistant DSM-III-R major depressive disorder were enrolled in a 6-week open trial of nor-triptyline (Nov.

Early drop-outs, late drop-outs and completers: differences in the continuation phase of a clinical trial.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the differences between early (EDs), late drop-outs (LDs) and completers in the continuation phase of a clinical trial.

Methods: The authors studied 119 outpatients who were treatment responders in an 8-week open trial with fluoxetine 20 mg/day, and who were then enrolled in a 26-week clinical trial comparing the efficacy of fluoxetine versus fluoxetine and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Patients were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R-Axis I (SCID-Patient Edition), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) and the following self-rated scales: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) and the Symptom Questionnaire (SQ) prior to starting the 26-week continuation phase.

Early drop-outs, late drop-outs and completers: differences in the continuation phase of a clinical trial.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the differences between early and late drop-outs and completers in the continuation phase of a clinical trial.

Methods: The authors studied 119 outpatients who were treatment responders in an 8-week open trial with fluoxetine 20 mg/day, and who were then enrolled in a 26-week clinical trial comparing the efficacy of fluoxetine versus fluoxetine and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Patients were assessed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R--Axis I (SCID-Patient Edition), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) and the following self-rated scales: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) and the Symptom Questionnaire (SQ) prior to starting the 26-week continuation phase.