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How Long Should the Elderly Take Antidepressants?

A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study of Continuation/Prophylaxis Therapy with Dothiepin

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Robin Jacoby ,
A. Daniel Lunn ,
M. Ardern ,
K. Bergmann ,
J. Conway ,
N. Cooling ,
G. Davies ,
J. Fisk ,
E. Gehlhaar  and
P. Harrison-Read
...Show all authors
Robin Jacoby*
Affiliation:
The Maudsley Hospital, London SE5 8AZ
A. Daniel Lunn
Affiliation:
The Open University & Worcester College, Oxford OX1 2HB
M. Ardern
Affiliation:
London
K. Bergmann
Affiliation:
London
J. Conway
Affiliation:
Sheffield
N. Cooling
Affiliation:
Norwich
G. Davies
Affiliation:
Oxford
J. Fisk
Affiliation:
Keighley
E. Gehlhaar
Affiliation:
London
P. Harrison-Read
Affiliation:
London
R. Jacoby
Affiliation:
London
R. Jones
Affiliation:
Nottingham
R. Levy
Affiliation:
London
A. MacDonald
Affiliation:
London
M. Naguib
Affiliation:
London
C. Oppenheimer
Affiliation:
Oxford
M. Philpot
Affiliation:
London
R. Philpott
Affiliation:
Liverpool
B. Pitt
Affiliation:
London
M. Price
Affiliation:
Plymouth
J. Robinson
Affiliation:
Oxford
M. Silverman
Affiliation:
London
Z. Slattery
Affiliation:
Bury St Edmunds
C. Staley
Affiliation:
Norwich
E. Taws
Affiliation:
Norwich
E. Tym
Affiliation:
Cambridge
*
∗Correspondence
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Abstract

Of 219 elderly patients with a major depressive disorder (meeting RDC), 69 recovered sufficiently and consented to enter a two-year double-blind placebo-controlled trial of dothiepin. Survival analysis revealed that dothiepin reduced the relative risk of relapse by two and a half times. Past but not current serious physical illness was also associated with a favourable outcome, whereas a prolonged index depressive illness trebled the relative risk of relapse. In the light of previous research on prognosis it is suggested that elderly persons who recover from a major depressive illness should continue with antidepressant medication for at least two years, if not indefinitely.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 162 , Issue 2 , February 1993 , pp. 175 - 182
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1993 

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