Tuyển tập báo cáo các nghiên cứu khoa học quốc tế ngành y học dành cho các bạn tham khảo đề tài: Efficacy, safety and tolerability of escitalopram in doses up to 50 mg in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): an open-label, pilot study | Wade et al. BMC Psychiatry 2011 11 42 http 1471-244X 11 42 BMC Psychiatry RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Efficacy safety and tolerability of escitalopram in doses up to 50 mg in Major Depressive Disorder MDD an open-label pilot study Alan G Wade1 Gordon M Crawford1 Ann Yellowlees2 Abstract Background Escitalopram is licensed for use at doses up to 20 mg but is used clinically at higher doses. There is limited published data at higher doses and none in the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder MDD . Methods This open-label pilot study was designed to investigate the efficacy safety and tolerability of escitalopram in doses up to 50 mg in MDD. It was conducted in 60 primary care patients with MDD who had not responded to adequate treatment with citalopram. Patients were treated with escalating doses of escitalopram up to 50 mg for up to 32 weeks until they achieved remission Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale MADRS 8 or failed to tolerate the dose. Results Forty-two patients 70 completed the study. Twenty-one patients 35 achieved remission with 8 of the 21 patients 38 needing the 50 mg dose to achieve remission. Median time to remission was 24 weeks and median dose in remission was 30 mg. No significant safety issues were identified although tolerability appeared to decline above a dose of 40 mg with 26 of patients unable to tolerate 50 mg. Twelve 20 patients had adverse events leading to discontinuation. The most common adverse events were headache 35 nausea diarrhoea and nasopharyngitis all 25 . Minor mean weight gain was found during the study which did not appear to be dose-related. Half of the patients who completed the study chose to continue treatment with escitalopram rather than taper down the dose at 32 weeks. Conclusions Dose escalation with escitalopram above 20 mg may have a useful role in the management of patients with MDD although further studies are needed to confirm this finding. Trial Registration .
