Clovoxamine in the treatment of depressed outpatients: a double-blind, parallel-group comparison against amitriptyline and placebo.

In a double-blind, random-assignment, parallel-group trial, outpatients with major depression received either the new antidepressant clovoxamine, the tricyclic amitriptyline, or placebo for 6 weeks. By an "improvement" criterion of 50% or greater improvement in the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D) total score, 88% of clovoxamine completers improved versus 75% with amitriptyline and 43% with placebo; however, due to small numbers, the differences failed to reach statistical significance. Diminished salivary flow was significantly greater with amitriptyline, as were complaints of dry mouth, somnolence, dizziness, and headache. Nausea and vomiting were more common in the clovoxamine-treated group. With amitriptyline, but not with clovoxamine, memory performance declined over a month. However, psychomotor performance was not affected.