Sleep and paroxetine: a comparison with mianserin in elderly depressed patients

A total of 60 patients aged 65 years and over who were suffering from unipolar depression were entered into a double-blind 6-week comparative study of paroxetine and mianserin. Assessments of efficacy of treatment included the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Clinical Global Impression, and the Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire. The results showed that the two drugs had equal and acceptable clinical efficacy. There was a similar overall incidence of spontaneously reported adverse events, but with clearly different profiles and a suggestion that mianserin was associated with more anticholinergic effects. In terms of sleep, the study provided evidence of a more beneficial effect from paroxetine.