Comparison of efficacy of mirtazapine and fluoxetine in treatment of depression with generalized anxiety disorder in 35 patients each

AIM: To compare the efficacy of mirtazapine and fluoxetine in the treatment of depression with generalized anxiety disorder(GAD). METHODS: Seventy patients with depression associated with GAD according to DSM-IV were divided into two groups. The mirtazapine group of 35 patients (M 12, F 23; age (43±s 14) a) was treated with mirtazapine 15-45 mg,po,qd. The fluoxetine group of 35 patients(M 10, F 25; age (44±12) a) was treated with fluoxetine 20-60 mg,po,qd. All the patients were treated for 8 wk. RESULTS: The effective rate of mirtazapine group and fluoxetine group was 94 % and 89 % respectively at wk 8 and there was no statistic difference(P0.05) between two groups. But the decreased scores of HAMD( factor Ⅰ,Ⅲ,Ⅴ,Ⅵ ) and HAMA of mirtazapine group was more than those of the fluoxetine group at wk 1(P0.05 or P0.01). At the end of wk 8, there was no difference of HAMD scores between two groups(P0.05). CONCLUSION: Mirtazapine has an early onset of action and similar effect to fluoxetine in the treatment of depression with GAD.