Efficacy of citalopram in the prevention Efficacy of citalopram in the prevention of recurrent depression in elderly patients: of recurrent depression in elderly patients: placebo-controlled study of maintenance therapy placebo-controlled study of maintenance therapy

Background Thehighlyrecurrentnatureofmajordepressionintheyoungandtheelderlywarrantslong-termantidepressanttreatment.Aims Tocomparetheprophylacticefficacyofcitalopramandplaceboinelderlypatients;toevaluatelong-termtolerabilityofcitalopram.Method Out-patients,565years,withunipolarmajordepression (DSM^IV:296.26or296.36)andMontgomery^—sbergDepressionRatingScalescore522 weretreatedwithcitalopram 20^40mgfor8weeks.Responderscontinuedontheir finalfixeddoseofcitalopramfor16weeksbeforerandomisationtodouble-blindtreatmentwithcitalopramorplaceboforatleast48weeks.Results Nineteenofthe60patientsusingcitalopramv. 41ofthe 61patientsusingplacebohadrecurrence.Timetorecurrencewassignificantlydifferentbetweencitalopram-andplacebo-patients,infavourofcitalopram(log-ranktest, P50.0001).Long-termtreatmentwaswelltolerated.Conclusions Long-termtreatmentwithcitalopramiseffectiveinpreventingrecurrenceofdepressionintheelderlyandiswelltolerated.Declarationof interest FundedbyH.Lundbeck A/S.