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Alprazolam and amitriptyline in the treatment of major depressive disorder: a double-blind clinical and sleep EEG study. 1990

P P Hubain, and P Castro, and P Mesters, and V De Maertelaer, and J Mendlewicz
Department of Psychiatry, University Clinics of Brussels, Erasme Hospital, Belgium.

This study was designed to compare the antidepressant effects of alprazolam and amitriptyline in a group of 30 inpatients suffering from a severe major endogenous depression, diagnosed by Research Diagnostic Criteria and the Newcastle Rating scale, and to examine the effects of alprazolam and amitriptyline on two biological markers of depression, the dexamethasone suppression test and sleep EEG parameters. The 6-week study was double-blind with a random allocation of treatment. Patients were treated with flexible doses of 4-9 mg of alprazolam and 100-225 mg of amitriptyline. After 4 weeks of treatment the antidepressant effects of amitriptyline significantly exceeded those of alprazolam, as measured on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. There was a high drop-out rate in the alprazolam group because of ineffectiveness of treatment. Alprazolam showed similar effects on sleep parameters as amitriptyline: lengthening of the REM latency and a tendency to shorten stages 3 and 4 and stage REM. These negative clinical results should be interpreted with caution, because of the severity of our selection criteria, and should not be extended to all depressive disorders.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D011897 Random Allocation A process involving chance used in therapeutic trials or other research endeavor for allocating experimental subjects, human or animal, between treatment and control groups, or among treatment groups. It may also apply to experiments on inanimate objects. Randomization,Allocation, Random
D002986 Clinical Trials as Topic Works about pre-planned studies of the safety, efficacy, or optimum dosage schedule (if appropriate) of one or more diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques selected according to predetermined criteria of eligibility and observed for predefined evidence of favorable and unfavorable effects. This concept includes clinical trials conducted both in the U.S. and in other countries. Clinical Trial as Topic
D003907 Dexamethasone An anti-inflammatory 9-fluoro-glucocorticoid. Hexadecadrol,Decaject,Decaject-L.A.,Decameth,Decaspray,Dexasone,Dexpak,Hexadrol,Maxidex,Methylfluorprednisolone,Millicorten,Oradexon,Decaject L.A.
D004311 Double-Blind Method A method of studying a drug or procedure in which both the subjects and investigators are kept unaware of who is actually getting which specific treatment. Double-Masked Study,Double-Blind Study,Double-Masked Method,Double Blind Method,Double Blind Study,Double Masked Method,Double Masked Study,Double-Blind Methods,Double-Blind Studies,Double-Masked Methods,Double-Masked Studies,Method, Double-Blind,Method, Double-Masked,Methods, Double-Blind,Methods, Double-Masked,Studies, Double-Blind,Studies, Double-Masked,Study, Double-Blind,Study, Double-Masked
D004569 Electroencephalography Recording of electric currents developed in the brain by means of electrodes applied to the scalp, to the surface of the brain, or placed within the substance of the brain. EEG,Electroencephalogram,Electroencephalograms
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults

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