Little Difference Found in Efficacy of Newer Antidepressants

A new meta-analysis of studies evaluating the efficacy of second-generation antidepressants in treating major depressive disorder finds that there is very little difference among these medications, and thus the evidence does not warrant recommending a particular antidepressant over another based on efficacy. The analysis, which assessed 234 studies that each had at least 1,000 participants, was conducted by researchers in Austria and the United States and is published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The researchers concluded that "No clinically relevant differences in efficacy were seen in patients with accompanying symptoms or in subgroups based on age, sex, ethnicity, or comorbid conditions. Individual drugs differed in onset of action, adverse events, and some measures of health-related quality of life."

To learn about the latest knowledge in the use of antidepressants, see the new volume from American Psychiatric Publishing titled The Evidence-Based Guide to Antidepressant Medications.

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