[Activity profile of carpipramine. Results of an open trial and a double-blind trial versus doxepin]

During an uncontrolled trial 46 depressed patients (39 endogenous depressions, 5 schizoaffective psychoses and 2 paranoic schizophrenics with depressive syndromes) were treated for 43 days on the average with 3 X 100 mg 1-[3-(10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenz[b,f]-azepin-5-yl)-propyl]-4-piperidino-piperidine-4-carboxamide-dihydrochloride-monohydrate (carpipramine) daily. The clinical impression of the improvement and the results of the Hamilton-Scale for depressions (19 patients, 24 items) showed a clear antidepressive effect of carpipramine. During a double-blind trial 14 patients were treated with carpipramine and 16 with doxepine for 30 days. Most patients suffered from endogenous depressions with paranoic symptoms or from schizophrenia with depressive syndromes. Statistical analysis of the Hamilton-Scale for depressions and the AMP-System showed the antidepressive and antipsychotic effect of carpipramine. Analysis of covariance showed no significant difference between carpipramine and doxepine. Altogether we treated 60 depressive patients with carpipramine. 26 patients improved very well and 11 moderately, that means 37 patients out of 60 reacted positively to therapy with carpipramine. One endogenous depression and a schizoaffective psychosis changed into a manic phase. A provocation of schizophrenic symptoms was not noticed. Carpipramine was very well tolerated and can be classified as a non-sedative antidepressant with an antipsychotic effect.