Background. This study aims to investigate if there is a differential outcome of serotonergic and noradrenergic antidepressant treatment and if menopausal status has an impact on antidepressant response in depressed women. Methods. Data of the 111 depressed women who were included and completed the previous four open-label studies where patients were evaluated six times during a 10-week period, were pooled in the current study. Each of the reboxetine, sertraline and venlafaxine groups consisted of 37 depressed women. Patients were also divided into two subgroups of age, determining the 44 years as the cut-off point representing the menopausal status. Results. No significant difference was observed in the percent change of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 (HDRS) and remission rates among treatment groups. Percent changes in Clinical Global Impression-Severity of Illness scale (CGI-S) and response rates were in favour of venlafaxine group at week 10. Individual HDRS items 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 demonstrated significant improvement in the sertraline group, whereas HDRS item 7 demonstrated significant improvement in the venlafaxine group. An early reduction in anxiety subscale was observed in the venlafaxine group. Menopausal status had no impact on the outcome measures. Conclusions. These results suggest that noradrenergic and serotonergic activity do not differ from each other in treating depressed women. However, serotonergic activity appears to be more prominent in some particular symptoms such as feelings of guilt, suicidal ideation and sleep. Also, menopause does not appear to affect antidepressants' benefit in depressed women.

Abstract QTc interval prolongation may appear as a consequence of both typical and atypical antipsychotic treatments. Ziprasidone, which is effective in treating schizophrenia, is associated with QTc prolongation. Although the prolongation of QTc with ziprasidone treatment is often pronounced, there is a scarce number of cases reported about the relationship between ziprasidone and QTc prolongation. Of the three cases presented in this case series, two cases showed values exceeding 0.50 s with ziprasidone treatment.

A total of 62 patients with major depressive disorder were analyzed in the study. Patients were evaluated for 11 weeks in an open label design to investigate the differential effects of reboxetine, sertraline and venlafaxine on thyroid hormones. Serum thyrotrophin (TSH), thyroxine (T4) and free (f)T4 levels were measured before and after treatment. All groups showed significant improvement in HAM-D scores. TSH level significantly reduced and T4 level significantly increased in the reboxetine group, however TSH level significantly increased and T4 level significantly reduced in the sertraline group. Percent changes of TSH (p=0.007) and T4 (p=0.001) were significantly different between the reboxetine and sertraline groups. In the sertraline group, baseline TSH levels were correlated with response to treatment as determined by the change in HAM-D scores (p=0.03, r=0.648). There was a significant association between the percent changes in TSH values and the reduction in HAM-D scores in the reboxetine group (p=0.03, r=-0.434). In the whole study group, female patients had lower values of basal T4 compared with men (p=0.043), however percent changes of T4 did not differ between genders. In the treatment-responders significant increase in the reboxetine group and significant decrease in the sertraline group regarding the T4 values were found. We observed that various antidepressants had different effects on thyroid hormone levels and this could be attributed to the different mechanisms of actions of these antidepressants.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the oxidative-antioxidative systems and effects of different antidepressants on these systems in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). METHOD: Ninety-six patients with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) diagnosis of MDD and 54 healthy controls were included in the study. Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and susceptibility of red blood cells (RBCs) to oxidation were determined to investigate the oxidative status, plasma vitamin E, vitamin C, serum total carotenoid levels, total antioxidant capacity (TAOC), RBC superoxide dismutase (SOD) and whole blood glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were measured to investigate the antioxidative defence before and after 6 weeks of antidepressant treatment. RESULTS: Plasma MDA levels and susceptibility of RBCs to oxidation were significantly higher in the MDD group compared with the control group. RBC SOD activity was significantly increased in patients with MDD, and furthermore there was a significant positive correlation between the severity of the disease and SOD activity. CONCLUSION: MDD is accompanied with oxidative stress; however, oxidative-antioxidative systems do not seem to be affected by 6 weeks of antidepressant treatment. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

This is a case report of reboxetine induced erectile dysfunction, seminal emission and ejaculation during defecation and micturition. A 44 year old male who had been suffering from depression without any sexual dysfunction was put on venlafaxine XR treatment. Due to delayed ejaculation and occasional episodes of absence of ejaculation he was switched to reboxetine. At the second week of treatment he reported erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation, and seminal emission and ejaculation during defecation and micturition occurred later at 8th week of treatment. After he was switched to sertraline 50 mg/day, his erectile dysfunction, premature and spontaneous ejaculation symptoms subsided in 2 weeks. Although reboxetine is reported to be free of sexual side effects, individual vulnerabilities to such unwanted effects should be considered, and sexual dysfunction should be assessed thoroughly during the treatment.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and tolerability of reboxetine in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and MDD with anxiety features to venlafaxine XR. METHOD: Patients with MDD, aging 18 between 65 years, were randomly allocated to two groups receiving either open-label venlafaxine XR capsules (n = 50) or reboxetine tablets (n = 43). Subjects were administered Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) at baseline and 2, 4, 7, 10 weeks after the baseline visit. RESULTS: Response rates to antidepressant treatment were significantly higher in the venlafaxine XR group at 10th week. When patients having anxious depression were analysed separately; response rate for anxiety of reboxetine group was significantly higher at 7th week only. Mean number of side effects were significantly higher in reboxetine group. Only one subject in each group was dropped out due to side effect. CONCLUSION: We may suggest that reboxetine is as effective and tolerable as venlafaxine XR in the treatment of MDD and MDD with anxiety features, and it may be considered a treatment option to venlafaxine XR. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is blaimed to play a role in the onset of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of the present study was to investigate serum paraoxonase/arylesterase activities and oxidation of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins in patients with MDD. Oxidation of lipoproteins plays an important role in atherogenesis and the enzyme paraoxonase, has been shown to prevent lipoprotein oxidation. Furthermore, low paraoxonase activity was suggested to predict CAD. Eighty-six patients who fully met the fourth Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for MDD and 36 healthy control subjects were included in the study. Serum paraoxonase and arylesterase activities were determined spectrophotometrically. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins were determined before (basal) and after incubation with copper-sulphate, that yielded basal- and Delta-MDA values, respectively. Serum paraoxonase/arylesterase activities were significantly reduced in the post-treatment group compared with the pre-treatment group. Basal-MDA (MDA) level was significantly higher in the MDD group compared with the control group. Delta-MDA level of the severe MDD group was significantly higher than that of the control group. There was a positive correlation between the oxidizability of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins and the severity of the disease. Total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein B levels were significantly higher and apolipoprotein AI levels were significantly lower in the MDD group compared with those of the control group. The findings of the present study suggest that: 1) antidepressant treatment might reduce serum paraoxonase activity/mass; 2) oxidation and oxidizability of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins seem to be increased in MDD.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy, safety and tolerability of reboxetine and sertraline in major depressive disorder (MDD). METHOD: The study subjects consisted of 41 patients who met the DSM-IV MDD diagnostic criteria. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either reboxetine or sertraline. During the study the patients were assessed 6 times (baseline visit=day 0, visit 1=day 8, visit 2=day 22, visit 3=day 36, visit 4=day 57 and visit 5=day 78) over 11 weeks. Antidepressant response was measured by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Clinical Global Impressions-Severity of Illness (CGI-SI) and Global Impressions-Global Improvement (CGI-GI). RESULTS: Comparing the two groups in terms of response and remission (HAM-D< or =10) measures, the results were in favour of the reboxetine group at visits 2, 3 and 4. At visit 5, the scores were similar and no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups. However, when remission was evaluated as HAM-D< or =7, a significant statistical difference was found in favour of the reboxetine group. Evaluating the side effects, dry mouth, sweating, palpitation, headache, hot flushing and sedation were more frequent in the reboxetine group. Only one patient, in the reboxetine group, dropped out due to a side effect (constipation). CONCLUSION: Higher rates of full remission achievement, which is the main target of MDD treatment, in the reboxetine group compared with the sertraline group may be due to the suppression of anxiety symptoms by the noradrenergic feature of the drug. In order to understand the role of the noradrenergic system in treating MDD, larger patient samples are needed. Both reboxetine and sertraline were well tolerated and effective in treating MDD.