Fluoxetine combined with perphenazine in treatment of psychotic depression

AIM: To study the efficacy and safety of fluoxetine combined with perphenazine in the treatment of psychotic depression. METHODS: Fluoxetine combined with perphenazien group(fluoxetive group) of twenty nine patients was treated with fluoxetine 20 mg, po ,qd. Amitriptyline combined with perphenazine group(amitriptyline group) of twenty eight patient was treated with amitriptyline 75 mg, po ,bid. Both groups were treated with perphenazine 8 mg, po, bid for 6 wk. RESULTS: In the treatment of depressin symptoms, the significant improvement rate of fluoxetine group was 76 %, that of amitriptyline group was 75 %. In the treatment of psychiatric symptom, the significant improvement rate of both groups was 82 % in amitriptyline group and 80 % in fluoxetine group, respectively (Ridit analysis, P 0.05). However, fluoxetine group was more prominent in the reducing of anxiety/somatization factor of HAMD. Usual adrerse reactions were dry mouth (28 %), constipation (21 %), blurred vision (14 %), nausea, and emesis (10 %), excitation or agitation (10 %), akathisia (7 %) and so on in fluoxetine group. CONCLUSION: Combination of fluoxetine with perphenazine is effective in treating psychotic depression,and it has less adverse reactions and well compliance.