Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T18:24:35.910Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Placebo response in antidepressant drug trials

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

M Beneke ,
W Rasmus  and
J Fritze
M Beneke
Affiliation:
Troponwerke GmbH & Co. Kg, Department of Clinical Research, Berlinerstraβe 156, 51063Cologne, Germany
W Rasmus
Affiliation:
Troponwerke GmbH & Co. Kg, Department of Clinical Research, Berlinerstraβe 156, 51063Cologne, Germany
J Fritze
Affiliation:
Troponwerke GmbH & Co. Kg, Department of Clinical Research, Berlinerstraβe 156, 51063Cologne, Germany
Get access

Summary

Response patterns derived from dichotomized (0/1) weekly CGI ratings conducted in antidepressant drug trials (Quitkin et al, 1984) were compared with those found in the pooled data from several randomized double-blind trials comparing the relative efficacy and tolerability low-dose flupenthixol im with that of three trieyclics (amitriptyline sr, imipramine, doxepine). Using the configurational frequency analysis (Krauth and Lienert, 1973), the postulated patterns could be rediscovered in our data apart from “early onset persistent patterns” which were less frequent in Quitkin et al's (1984) drug data. However, apart from this finding no “typical” patterns in terms of drug- or placebo-dependent response patterns could be detected in either the flupenthixol or Quitkin et al's (1984) data. It is concluded that there is little empirical evidence for the assumption of placebo- or drug related change- or response patterns. Moreover, theoretical aspects do not support the usefulness of such concepts.

Keywords

depressionplacebo responsepattern analysisflupenthixoltricyclics
Type
Research Article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 9 , Issue 3: European Committee for Standardisation of Clinical Trials with Psychotropics, ECST Strasbourg Forum III. 10-11 June 1993, Strasbourg, France , 1994 , pp. 115 - 118
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier, Paris 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Dunlop, SRDornseif, BEWernicke, JFPotvin, JHPattern analysis shows beneficial effect of fluoxetine treatment in mild depression. Psychopharmacol Bull 1990:26,2:173–80Google ScholarPubMed
Grünbaum, AThe placebo concept in medicine and psychiatry. Psychol Med 1986:16:19–38CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Guy, W (ed). ECDEU Assessment Manual for Psychopharmacology, Rev Ed Rockville, Maryland 1976;217–22Google Scholar
Krauth, JLicnert, GADie Konfigurationsfrequenzanalyse (KFA). Verlag Karl Alber Freiburg/München, 1973Google Scholar
Quitkin, FJRabkin, JRoss, DStewart, JWIdentification of true drug response to antidepressants. Use of pattern analysis. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1984a;42:782–6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Quitkin, FMRabkin, JRoss, DMcGrath, PJDuration of antidepressant drug treatment. What is an adequate trial? Arch Gen Psychiatry 1984b;41:238–45CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Quitkin, FMRabkin, JMarkowitz, JMStewart, JWMcGrath, PJHarrison, WUse of pattern analysis to identify Irne drug response. A replication. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1987:44:259–64CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Quitkin, FMMcGrath, PJRabkin, JGet al. Different types of placebo response in patients receiving antidepressants. Am J Psychiatry 1991a;148,2:197–2O3Google Scholar
Quitkin, FMRabkin, JStewart, JWet al. Heterogeneity of clinical response during placebo treatment. Am J Psychiatry 1991b; 148,2:193–6Google Scholar
Quitkin, FMMethodology of measuring the efficacy of antidepressants. Psychopharmacology 1992:106:87–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Quitkin, FMStewart, JWMcGrath, PJet al. Further evidence that a placebo response to antidepressans can be identified. Am J Psychiatry 1993:150, 4:566–70Google Scholar
Reimherr, FRWard, MFByerly, WFThe introductory placebo washout: a retrospective evaluation. Psychiatry Res 1989:30:191–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Spitze, REndicott, JRobins, EResearch diagnostic criteria: rationale and reliability. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1978:35:773–82CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.