[Review of double-blind studies comparing SSRI and SNRI]

In Japan, therapies for depression using serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitors and serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors have been established for several years. Clinicians seem to differentiate between these and classical antidepressants, i.e., tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants. However, it appears to be difficult for most Japanese clinicians to choose the medication most suitable for an individual patient. Herein, we reviewed double-blind studies comparing a serotonin-selective reuptake inhibitor and a serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor. As yet, we cannot draw a conclusion due to the small data set and methodological discordance among the investigations.