An open treatment trial of venlafaxine for elderly patients with dysthymic disorder.

Abstract

Treatment response and side effects of venlafaxine were evaluated in an open-label trial of elderly outpatients with dysthymic disorder (DD). Patients received flexible dose (up to 300 mg/d) venlafaxine (Effexor XR) for 12 weeks. Of 23 study patients, 18 completed the trial. Fourteen (60.9%) were responders in intent-to-treat analyses with the last observation carried forward, and 77.8% were responders in completer analyses. Nearly half the sample (47.8%) met criteria for remission. In the intent-to-treat sample, increased severity of depression at baseline was associated with superior response, and the presence of cardiovascular disease was associated with poorer response. Venlafaxine open-label treatment was associated with fairly high response rates and generally good tolerability in elderly patients with DD. These results indicate that in elderly patients with DD, placebo-controlled trials of a dual reuptake inhibitor such as venlafaxine would be needed to assess its efficacy or to compare its efficacy to that of other antidepressants.

• Authors: D P Devanand, Nicole Juszczak, Mitchell S Nobler, Nancy Turret, Linda Fitzsimons, Harold A Sackeim, Steven P Roose
• Journal: Journal of geriatric psychiatry and neurology (J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol) Vol. 17 Issue 4 Pg. 219-24 (Dec 2004) ISSN: 0891-9887 [Print] United States
• PMID: 15533993 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Cyclohexanols
• Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors
• Venlafaxine Hydrochloride

Topics

• Aged
• Cyclohexanols (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
• Drug Administration Schedule
• Dysthymic Disorder (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Venlafaxine Hydrochloride