[Early results of the treatment of endogenous depression with tricyclic antidepressive drugs and prognosis of their effectiveness].

Evaluation of a group of 250 patients with endogenous depression in the course of affective illness suggest that reactions of patients to tricyclic antidepressants in an early phase of the treatment may supply interesting prognostic data. Improvement of mental state (reduction of the Hamilton Depression Scale score) on the seventh day and especially on the 14th day of treatment points to a high probability of positive response to the treatment. Lack of such a reaction or worsening of the mental state in the early phase of pharmacotherapy (on the seventh day) frequently is an early sign of lack of positive response to the treatment. The survey considered following antidepressant drugs: amitriptyline, noxiptilin, clomipramine, dibenzepin and desipramine.