Table 1

Rates of full remission in recent clinical trials of antidepressant therapy for depression

Study	Treatment duration and dosage, mg/d	Response,^* % of patients	Remission, % of patients	Remission criteria
Katona et al (30) n = 347	8 wk			HAM-D₂₁ ≤ 10
	RBX, 4–6	55	42
	IMP, 50–100	57	50

Cohn et al (32) n = 77	8 wk			HAM-D₁₇ ≤ 10
	NFZ, 200–600	64	62
	IMP, 100–300	61	53

Keller et al (33) n = 681	12 wk	55	22	HAM-D₂₄ ≤ 7
	NFZ, 300–600	52	24
	CBASP and combination	85^†	42

Danish University Antidepressant Group (35) n = 115	6 wk			HAM-D₁₇ ≤ 7
	MCL, 400	49	19
	CMI, 150	71^‡	33

Lapierre et al (34) n = 128	6 wk			HAM-D₁₇ < 10
	MCL, 200–600	54	47
	FLX, 20^§–40	55	38

Sogaard et al (36) n = 197	12 wk			HAM-D ≤ 7
	MCL, 300	63	30
	SRT, 50	65	39

Stahl et al (38) n = 387	6 wk			HAM-D₁₇ ≤ 7
	MRT, 5–35	48	31
	AMT, 40–280	51	28

Wheatley et al (37) n = 123	6 wk			HAM-D₁₇ ≤ 7
	MRT, 15–60	66	23
	FLX, 20–40	47	25

Mehtonen et al (39) n = 85	8 wk			HAM-D₂₁ < 10
	VFX, 150	81	67^‡
	SRT, 100	67	36

Poirier and Boyer (40) n = 122	4 wk			HAM-D₁₇ ≤ 10
	VFX, 200–300	52^‡	42^‡
	PRX, 30–40	33	20

Ballus et al (41) n = 84	12 wk			HAM-D₂₁ ≤ 8
	VFX, 75–150	75^‡	59^‡
	PRX, 20–40	64	31

Rudolph and Feiger (42) n = 198	8 wk			HAM-D₂₁ ≤ 7
	VFX, 75–225	57	37^‡
	FLX, 20–60	50	22

Lecrubier et al (43) n = 153	13 wk			CGI = 1^¶
	VFX, 75–150	83	63^‡
	IMP, 75–150	66	46

Note: AMT = amitriptyline; CMI = clomipramine; CBASP = cognitive behavioural analysis system of psychotherapy; FLX = fluoxetine; HAM-D = Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression; IMP = imipramine; MRT = mirtazapine; MCL = moclobemide; NFZ = nefazodone; PRX = paroxetine; RBX = reboxetine; SRT = sertraline; VFX = venlafaxine.
↵* “Response” was defined as a HAM-D or MADRS score reduction of 50% from baseline.
↵† p < 0.001 v. monotherapies.
↵‡ p ≤ 0.05.
↵§ FLX could be administered 20 mg every other day.
↵¶ “Very much improved.”