Efficacy of duloxetine for the treatment of depression: relationship to most recent antidepressant trial.

Abstract

To describe and examine, in a sample of depressed outpatients, the relationship between level of response to a previous SSRI or SNRI antidepressant trial and subsequent response to duloxetine hydrochloride.
Data collected from a multicenter trial that evaluated the safety and efficacy of duloxetine for the treatment of major depressive disorder were analyzed to determine the relationship between response to previous antidepressant treatment and degree of response to duloxetine. Time to first response, first remission, sustained response, and sustained remission during the first 12 weeks of duloxetine treatment were compared across patient groups.
Response and remission with duloxetine treatment ranged between 57 and 68% and 29 and 57%, respectively, and did not differ significantly across previous response levels. An additional analysis, collapsing the partial responder and responder without remission groups, indicated significantly lower rates of remission in those patients who demonstrated nonresponse to the most recent antidepressant treatment.
Findings suggest that patient's response to duloxetine, when used as a switch treatment, may not be significant influenced by degree of response to the most recent antidepressant treatment.