Milnacipran and pindolol: a randomized trial of reduction of antidepressant latency

Combined treatments for major depression

Major depression is a chronic disorder with a high morbidity and mortality. Approved treatment for major depression at present includes monotherapy with antidepressants of different pharmacologic classes. There is increasingly widespread use of two other options: augmentation, the addition to an antidepressant of a second compound that is not an antidepressant when used alone; and combination, which is the use of two antidepressants concurrently to enhance or accelerate response. This review focuses on the data available to support these various augmentation and combination treatments.

The onset of effect for escitalopram and its relevance for the clinical management of depression

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the significance of 'onset of effect' on clinical outcome in the treatment of depression and the contribution of individual Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) items to improvements in the MADRS total score.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHOD

All five published placebo-controlled clinical studies in depression as per January 1, 2005, with escitalopram, were included in this pooled analysis.

RESULTS

Of the 1636 patients who were randomised to either escitalopram (882) or placebo (754), 1333 completed 8 weeks of treatment (707 escitalopram and 626 placebo). A statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) between the MADRS total score responses of escitalopram and placebo treatments was observed at week 1. All 10 MADRS single items showed a significant treatment effect at week 8. For items representing core symptoms of depression (apparent sadness, reported sadness, inner tension, concentration difficulties, inability to feel, pessimistic thoughts and suicidal thoughts) the effect was detected early (week 1) and for other items (reduced sleep, reduced appetite and lassitude) the effect was detected later (week 6-8). Of the patients who showed an onset of effect (> or = 20% reduction in MADRS) after 2 weeks, and who remained on escitalopram until week 8, 63% were in remission at week 8 (mean MADRS score of 6.1).

CONCLUSION

Onset of treatment response at 2 weeks is an important indicator of subsequent remission at 8 weeks. It would therefore be a reasonable clinical recommendation that if patients fail to show a measurable clinical improvement within 2 weeks, a dose increase should be considered at this time.

Current status of augmentation and combination treatments for major depressive disorder: a literature review and a proposal for a novel approach to improve practice

Most patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) do not reach symptom remission. These patients with residual symptoms have worse function and worse prognosis than those who remit. Several augmentation and combination treatments are used to either increase the chances of achieving remission or to eliminate/minimize residual depressive symptoms. Evidence for these pharmacological approaches rests primarily on open, uncontrolled studies, and there are clearly not enough controlled studies. Clinicians should carefully weigh these different treatment options to increase their patients' chances of achieving and sustaining remission from depression. This paper will review the pertinent studies and will propose a novel approach to improve practice involving the use of augmentation or combination strategies at the outset of initial treatment to primarily enhance the chances of remission through synergy and/or a broader spectrum of action. This novel approach could potentially enhance retention and/or increase remission rates since the lack of response with antidepressant monotherapy may lead many depressed patients with little or no benefit to drop out of treatment, precluding the subsequent use of augmentation or combination strategies altogether. In addition, the emergence of certain side-effects (e.g., agitation, insomnia) or the persistence of some initial baseline symptoms (e.g., anxiety, insomnia) may lead to premature discontinuation from monotherapy in the absence of concomitant use of augmenting pharmacological options targeting these symptoms.