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Cited by 79Treatment of Major DepressionBipolar Disorder and TreatmentPsychological Treatments and Disorders

Continuation and maintenance therapy with antidepressive agents: Meta-analysis of research

Loonen, Anton J. M., Peer, Petronella G. M., Zwanikken, Goos J.·1991·Pharmaceutisch Weekblad Scientific Edition
DOI 10.1007/bf01957741
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the clinical benefits of long-term antidepressant drug treatment in patients with recurrent major depression. Bibliographic reviews of four textbooks and five review articles, literature searches using MEDLINE (1977-1987) and EXCERPTA MEDICA (1974-1987), hand-searching of the bibliographies of identified papers, and a private set were used for data identification. The most informative, definitive research report was selected using explicit criteria for evaluating study design and quality, of each described, randomized, controlled, double-blind trial of long-term antidepressant agent treatment. The trials were started at a specified period after recovery from an affective episode, in patients with major depression. Of the fifty-five originally identified articles, nine were selected that specifically addressed this purpose. The basic data were extracted in the form of 2 x 2 tables comparing the number of patients with an affective relapse to those remaining well and meta-analysed. Six of the selected trials addressed continuation and three addressed maintenance therapy. In two trials of continuation and in one trial of maintenance treatment, antidepressants were significantly more active than a placebo. In none of the trials were antidepressants inferior to a placebo. Continuation therapy with antidepressants (amitriptyline and imipramine) is effective. There are insufficient data to allow any conclusions about the efficacy of mainten…

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Crossref · 10.1007/bf01957741

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  • Systematic reviews have shown a higher rate of relapse among patients who discontinue antidepressant therapy than among those who continue such therapy.

    “Several systematic reviews of studies have shown a higher rate of relapse among patients who discontinue antidepressant therapy than among those who continue to receive such therapy”

    From Maintenance or Discontinuation of Antidepressants in Primary Care (2021) · cites this paper as [10]

  • Most trials of antidepressant discontinuation recruited patients from specialist mental health services, treated them for 3 to 8 months, and randomly assigned responders to continue antidepressant therapy or switch to placebo.

    “Most trials recruited patients with depression from specialist mental health services, treated them with antidepressants for 3 to 8 months, and randomly assigned patients who had a response to therapy to continue antidepressant therapy or switch to placebo.”

    From Maintenance or Discontinuation of Antidepressants in Primary Care (2021) · cites this paper as [10]

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Authors
Loonen, A. J. M., Peer, P. G. M., & Zwanikken, G. J.
Affiliations
  • Reinier van Arkel (NL)
  • Radboud University Nijmegen (NL)
ORCID
Loonen, Anton J. M.
Venue
Pharmaceutisch Weekblad Scientific Edition
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
1991-08
Volume
13
Issue
4
Pages
167-175
ISSN
  • 0167-6555 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-739X
DOI
10.1007/bf01957741
OpenAlex
W2921865037
Cited by
79
References
112
Citations by year
2024: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 26 · 2016: 27
FWCI
0.30
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
Pharmacy World & Science (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Disorders
Keywords
continuation treatment, maintenance therapy, antidepressants, recurrent major depressive disorder, long-term antidepressant treatment, amitriptyline, imipramine, lithium carbonate, chronic depression, relapse prevention, placebo comparison

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