A randomized and double-blind comparison with reboxetine and citalopram in patients with retardant depressive disorder

Objective To study the efficacy and safety of reboxetine and citalopram in treating retardant depression.Methods A total of 59 patients with retardant depression were randomly divided into reboxetine group(n=29)and citalopram group(n=30)for the treatment of 6 weeks.The patients were assessed with the Hamilton depression scale(HAMD)and treatment emergent symptom scale(TESS).Results At the end of 6 weeks,the total scores of HAMD in reboxetine(18.48±6.38)group and citalopram(11.60±4.46)group both significantly decreased(P＜0.001).Between two groups,the efficacy(82.8% and 56.7%)had significant differences(P＜0.05)but side effects had no statistical significance.Conclusion Reboxetine has significant curative efficacy,milder adverse effects and higher safety for treating patients with retardant depression. Key words: Reboxetine; Citalopram; Depression