Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, 19[3]:187–195, 2007
Copyright © American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists
ISSN: 1040-1237 print / 1547-3325 online
DOI: 10.1080/10401230701465178
187
UACP
The Efficacy and Tolerability of
Duloxetine in the Treatment of
Anxious Versus Non-Anxious
Depression: A Post-Hoc Analysis
of an Open-Label Outpatient Study
Duloxetine for Anxious Depression
MAURIZIO FAVA, MD
Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
JAMES M. MARTINEZ, MD
Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA
JOHN GREIST, MD
Healthcare Technology Systems, Madison, WI, USA
LAUREN B. MARANGELL, MD
Menninger Department of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine and Department of Veterans Affairs, Houston, TX, USA
EILEEN BROWN, PHD, LEI CHEN, MS, and MADELAINE M. WOHLREICH, MD
Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA
Background. This study compares the efficacy and tolerability of 12 weeks of open-label duloxetine in adult outpatients
with anxious versus non-anxious depression.
Methods. Participants in a major depressive episode (N = 249) began duloxetine treatment at 30 or 60 mg daily for the first
week, followed by up to 11 weeks of flexibly dosed duloxetine (60, 90, or 120 mg daily). Efficacy measures included
HAMD
17
, HAMA, and CGI-S. Safety and tolerability were assessed by early discontinuation and adverse event rates.
Anxious depression was defined by a HAMD
17
Anxiety/Somatization Factor score ≥ 7.
Results. Duloxetine treatment was associated with a significantly greater reduction in total HAMD
17
scores and HAMD
17
Anxiety/Somatization Factor scores among patients with anxious depression compared to non-anxious depression.
Differences in CGI-S and HAMA scores at the end of the trial between groups were not statistically significant. Remission
and response rates at endpoint were similar between groups, but anxious depressives had a significantly shorter median
time to response. Discontinuation rates due to any reason, discontinuation due to adverse events, and treatment-emergent
adverse events were similar between groups, except for the significantly greater occurrence of influenza in anxious
depressives.
Conclusions. Duloxetine’s efficacy in anxious depression was somewhat superior to non-anxious depression; tolerability
was comparable between groups.
Keywords Duloxetine, Depression, Anxiety, Serotonin uptake inhibitors
Address correspondence to Madelaine M. Wohlreich, MD, Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, IN 46285.
E-mail: mwmd@lilly.com