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Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience : JPN logoLink to Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience : JPN
. 1998 Nov;23(5):288–292.

Efficacy and tolerability of venlafaxine in the treatment of primary dysthymia.

A V Ravindran 1, Y Charbonneau 1, M D Zaharia 1, K al-Zaid 1, A Wiens 1, H Anisman 1
PMCID: PMC1188956  PMID: 9846033

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Currently, there is no documentation of the efficacy of venlafaxine (a serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) in the treatment of dysthymia. This open-label pilot investigation examined the efficacy and tolerability of venlafaxine in patients with primary dysthymia without concomitant major depression. METHODS: Fifteen patients were treated with venlafaxine for 12 weeks, with a dose range of 75 mg to 225 mg daily (taken orally), and symptom changes were measured using standard instruments including the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D). RESULTS: Significant changes from pretreatment to posttreatment were observed (p < 0.001). Using the standard criteria of a 50% reduction in HAM-D scores, 73.3% of patients were rated as responders. About two-thirds of the patients reported adverse events, which were mostly mild and brief in duration. CONCLUSION: Venlafaxine may be useful in the treatment of primary dysthymia but placebo-controlled studies are required for confirmation.

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Selected References

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