Trazodone, a new antidepressant: efficacy and safety in endogenous depression.

The effectiveness of trazodone was assessed over a 4-week period under double-blind conditions. Twenty-eight inpatients with a diagnosis of endogenous depression received either trazodone, imipramine, or placebo. Trazodone was significantly better than placebo and frequently better than imipramine according to analyses of the results of the Hamilton Psychiatric Scale for Depression, severity of illness and clinical global improvement ratings, and the Global Ward Behavior Scale. Significant improvement was evident in the trazodone group by the end of the first week of therapy, particularly in those symptoms associated with depression and accompanying anxiety. There were fewer side effects with trazodone than with imipramine.