J Korean Soc Biol Psychiatry.  1997 Nov;4(2):251-258.

Comparison between Dothiepin-Sertraline Combination and Dothiepin Alone Therapy in the Treatment of Depressive Disorder

• Cha JH
• Jung IK
• Lee MS

Abstract

The dysfunction of either or both noradrenaline and serotonin system are important in the pathophysiology of depression. Previous reports have suggested that there may be an important interaction between these two systems. Recently, some investigators have suggested that the combination of tricyclic antidepressants(TCAs and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors(SSRIs would produce a rapid synergistic effect on down-regulation of either or both of these two systems and that this combination may produce a more rapid and absolute antidepressant effect. We compared the treatment efficacy, treatment associated side effects, treatment satisfaction, and the quality of life between the combination therapy of dothiepin-sertraline as well as the therapy of dothiepin alone in the treatment of major depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder. In our study, the combination therapy of dothiepin and sertraline produced a more rapid and absolute antidepressant effect than dothiepin alone. And the patients with combination therapy experienced relatively high treatment satisfaction than the patients with dothiepin therapy. The patients quality of life improved more rapidly in the combination therapy, especially, in the health perception, social behavior, and life satisfaction, that dothiepin alone. These results support the hypothesis that the combination of TCA an SSRI may produce a rapid synergistic effect on either or both norepinephrine and serotonin system, and more rapid antidepressant effect and high treatment satisfaction.

MeSH Terms

Depression
Depressive Disorder*
Depressive Disorder, Major
Dothiepin*
Down-Regulation
Dysthymic Disorder
Humans
Norepinephrine
Quality of Life
Research Personnel
Serotonin
Sertraline
Social Perception
Treatment Outcome
Dothiepin
Norepinephrine
Serotonin
Sertraline