| Methods |
Six‐week randomised, double‐blind study |
| Participants |
In‐ and outpatients fulfilling DSM‐III criteria for current major depressive episode, with a score of at least 20 on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression‐21 item (HDRS‐21).
Measn age: 43 years
Exclusion criteria: psychosis, bipolar disorder, concurrent use of any psychoactive medication |
| Interventions |
Fluoxetine: 38 participants
Doxepine: 37 participants
Fluoxetine dose range: 20‐60 mg/day
Doxepine dose range: 100‐200 mg/day |
| Outcomes |
HDRS‐21, Clinical Global Impression (CGI), Raskin Depression Scale (RDS), Covi Anxiety Scale (CAS), Patient Global Impression (PGI) |
| Notes |
Funding: by industry |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
Randomised, no further information |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
Unclear risk |
No information provided |
| Blinding (performance bias and detection bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Double blind, no further information |
| Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Quote: " medication was dispensed in opaque gelatine capsules containing either placebo, fluoxetine or doxepine (...) in a dose‐dispensing system administered by a pharmacist", not clear if blindness was successful |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Double blind, no further information |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Unclear risk |
Number and reasons for dropout reported. Scores reported without denominator |
| Selective reporting (reporting bias) |
Unclear risk |
Only most common side effects reported |
| Other bias |
High risk |
Quote: "the authors gratefully acknowledge (...) Eli Lilly of Canada for financial support", this company produces fluoxetine |
