[Role of tianeptine in the prevention of depression relapse and recurrence. First estimations]

The potential activity of tianeptine in the prevention of depressive relapses or recurrences was evaluated in the course of a long-term multicenter study. Five hundred and ten patients were treated for a one-year period. During the first six months, 22 percent of patients responders to the treatment relapsed into depression or had a methodological equivalent of depressive relapse (a MADRS score equal to or higher than 25). This percentage of depressive relapses is comparable to those obtained with other antidepressants. After six months of treatment, 7 percent of patients with a stabilized recovery recurred into depression or had a methodological equivalent of depressive recurrence (a MADRS score equal to or higher than 25). An analysis compared this percentage with those obtained in the course of other studies. These percentages are classically more important. The role of diagnoses of depression was analysed. Percentages of depressive relapses and recurrences were also evaluated in the sub-sample of patients treated with tianeptine alone.