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Monday, April 12, 2004

Antidepressant Outcome Studies II




It has been suggested that I do a roundup of antidepressant outcome studies.  The previous article demonstrated why there is a discrepancy between the results of some studies, and the widespread use of antidepressant medication, but it does not address the question of whether the drugs actually work.  It will take a while for me to write anything approaching a thorough review.  In the meantime, those curious enough to read a journal article on the subject can see A Systematic Review of Newer Pharmacotherapies for Depression in Adults: Evidence Report Summary. (PDF is here.)  This article is a review of many studies, in an attempt to determine what the results would have been if all the individual patients had been recruited into a single large study. (This is called a meta-analysis.)  It is accompanied by a different article (PDF), which is a set of treatment guidelines.  Folks who are really ambitious can read the online book, Outpatient Management of Depression, by Sheldon Preskorn.