Methods	8 week randomised double blind study
Participants	Diagnosis: DSM-IV major depressive disorder Setting: Inpatients
Interventions	1. Mirtazapine: 45-60 mg/day, N = 78 2. Venlafaxine: 75-375 mg/day, N = 79 Flexible dosing scheduling
Outcomes	The measure used for response and remission in the review: 17-item HAM-D Other measures: The Quality of Life, Enjoyment, and Satisfaction Questionnaire and Quality of Life in Depression Scale, Quality of Life in Depression Scales
Notes
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors’ judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Quote: “randomised” Comment: No further information provided.
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Quote: “participants were randomised to receive treatment with either mirtazapine or venlafaxine orally for 8 weeks, prepared as indistinguishable capsules, according to a centrally prepared randomization list” Comment: No further information about actual central randomisation provided
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Quote: “double-blind” Comment: No further information provided.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	High risk	More than 20% of the allocated participants to both of the intervention arms dropped out during the study
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	Both the response and the remission outcomes at end of the acute-phase treatment are reported with the proportion of the participants who achieved these
Free of Sponsorship bias?	High risk	The funding source is the pharmaceutical company of mirtazapine