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Updated: Jun 24, 2026
12:21
Thermostabilization, Expression, Purification, and Crystallization of the Human Serotonin Transporter Bound to S-citalopram
Published on: November 27, 2016
Sertraline versus other antidepressive agents for depression
Andrea Cipriani1, Teresa La Ferla, Toshi A Furukawa
1Department of Medicine and Public Health, Section of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Policlinico "G.B.Rossi", Piazzale L.A. Scuro, 10, Verona, Italy, 37134. andrea.cipriani@univr.it
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|April 17, 2009
Summary
This review found sertraline may be more effective and acceptable than some antidepressants for major depression. However, some newer antidepressants showed better efficacy and acceptability, and sertraline had more diarrhea side effects.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Selective serotonin reuptuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are first-line for depression.
- Preliminary data suggested sertraline's superior effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare escitalopram with other antidepressants (TCAs, heterocyclics, SSRIs, newer agents) for major depression.
- To assess efficacy, acceptability, and tolerability of antidepressants in acute-phase treatment.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) up to July 2008.
- Searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane registers; hand-searched references; contacted pharmaceutical companies.
- Extracted data on study/participant characteristics, interventions, and outcomes (efficacy, acceptability, tolerability).
Main Results:
- Included 59 mostly low-quality studies comparing sertraline with other antidepressants.
- Sertraline showed favorable efficacy over fluoxetine and better acceptability/tolerability than amitriptyline, imipramine, paroxetine, and mirtazapine.
- Mirtazapine and bupropion demonstrated better efficacy and acceptability, respectively; sertraline was associated with more diarrhea.
Conclusions:
- A trend favored sertraline for efficacy and acceptability in major depression treatment.
- However, included studies had limitations, not reporting all pre-specified outcomes.
- Crucial patient- and clinician-relevant outcomes were missing from the analyzed studies.
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