TORONTO, ON — June 5, 2002 —
There’s good news for the up to 1.5 million Canadians suffering from depression. In a large analysis comparing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclics (TCAs) to Effexor® (venlafaxine), a serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), the antidepressant Effexor was found to be more effective than 10 other medications, including all the SSRIs studied.
Effectiveness was based on overall symptom reduction and remission (i.e., the elimination of depressive symptoms). The meta-analysis, published in the May 2002 issue of The British Journal of Psychiatry, is the first systematic retrospective review of all available studies worldwide comparing Effexor to other anti-depressants, such as SSRIs (i.e., paroxetine (Paxil®) and fluoxetine (Prozac®)) and tricyclics.
Traditionally, it was widely believed that all antidepressants had the same efficacy. “The findings from this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that venlafaxine is more effective than SSRIs with comparable tolerability,” said study author Dr. Ian Anderson, Senior Lecturer in the School of Psychiatry & Behavioural Sciences at The University of Manchester.
All studies included in the meta-analysis had been designed by initial investigators so that neither the participants nor the researchers knew which drug a patient received until a study was completed. In all, the meta-analysis examined data collected from 5,562 participants in 32 studies. Patients receiving venlafaxine were shown to have a 43% greater chance of achieving symptomatic remission (i.e., the elimination of depressive symptoms) when compared to those receiving SSRIs.
“What this means is that if 100 people with depression were treated, seven more people will achieve full remission, the goal of antidepressant therapy, on venlafaxine than with an SSRI. This is an important variable to consider when selecting antidepressant therapy,” says Dr. Roger McIntyre, staff psychiatrist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto.
“And given that up to one in five Canadians may be affected with depression at some stage in their life, this increase in remission rates is of substantial importance. Patients who fail to reach remission have higher healthcare utilization costs, higher relapse rates, more chronic illnesses, more comorbid medical and psychiatric disorders and a reduced ability to work continuously,” adds Dr. McIntyre.
With regards to Effexor’s remission and response rates, “This magnitude of advantage over other anti-depressants is potentially of considerable importance given the often prolonged and chronic nature of depressive episodes,” says Dr. Peter Lin, Medical Director, Health and Wellness Centre, in Scarborough, Ontario.
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