Methods	Six-week randomised, double-blind, multicentre study.
Participants	In- and outpatients fulfilling ICD-10 criteria for depressive episode, recurrent depressive disorder, or bipolar affective disorder (depressive), with a score of at least 25 on the MADRS, requiring an antidepressant treatment. Age range: 18-65 years old. Exclusion criteria: severe risk of suicide, acute or chronic psychosis, failure to respond to 2 antidepressants for the current depressive episode, previous history of drug abuse or dependence, severe somatic diseases in evolution, current treatment with barbiturate, buspirone, anti-epilectic drugs, use of diazepam, lorazepam and alprazolam
Interventions	Fluoxetine: 196 participants. Tianeptine: 191 participants. Fluoxetine dose: 20 mg/day. Tianeptine dose: 37.5 mg/day.
Outcomes	Primary outcome: MADRS global score. Secondary outcome: decrease of at least 50% in MADRS global score (responder patients) and CGI scores
Notes	Funding: unclear
Risk of bias
Item	Authors’ judgement	Description
Allocation concealment?	Unclear	B - Unclear