A control study of Escitalopram in the treatment of elderly depression

Objective:To explore the efficacy and safety of Escitalopram in the treatment of elderly patients with depression.Methods:56 patients were randomly divided into research group(n=28) took orally escitalopram and control group(n=28) did venlafaxine for 6 weeks.Efficacies were assessed with the Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD) and adverse reactions with the Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale(TESS) before treatment and at the ends of the 1st,2nd,4th,and 6th week.Results:After 6 week treatment,total effective rates were respectively 92.85% in the research and 85.78% in the control group,the total efficacies of both groups were equivalence(P 0.05).The HAMD scores lowered more significantly since the end of the 1st week in both groups(P 0.05 or 0.01),did more significantly in the research than in the control group at the end of the 1st week(P 0.05),and there were no significant differences at other time points(P 0.05).Adverse reactions of both groups were mild.Conclusion:Escitalopram has therapeutic equivalence to Venlafaxine,but takes effects quicker and has higher safety and better compliance in the treatment of elderly depression,and deserves to be extended and utilized clinically.