Double-blind comparison between a serotonin and a noradrenaline reuptake blocker in the treatment of depressed outpatients. Clinical aspects.

Seventy-five outpatients with major depressive disorder (RDC) were randomly referred to treatment with a dominant serotonin (5-HT) uptake inhibiting drug (zimeldine, 100 mg b.i.d.) or a dominant noradrenaline (NA) uptake inhibiting drug, (maprotiline, 75 mg b.i.d.). The total antidepressive effect was similar in the two groups for up to 4 weeks of treatment. Both drugs gave an effect on the depressive syndrome as a whole, with no preference for mood, anxiety, retardation or vital symptoms. Good response to the NA drug correlated to few prior episodes and few years since first episode, whereas the 5-HT drug had its best effect when there were several previous episodes.