[Effects of antidepressants in different populations]

A total of 370 patients were subjected to a comprehensive international examination (within the frameworks of the WHO) by the double blind method for the efficacy of low (75 mg/day) and high (150 mg/day) doses of antidepressants (maprotiline, amitriptyline, imipramine). In 324 patients, the time course of the psychopathological disorders and side effects was studied with the aid of special scales and maps. The selection of the population and, therefore, the selection of the 7 cooperative WHO centers was based on the necessity of the maximal coverage of possible cultural, economic and ethnic relations in the patients' populations. Analysis of the total appraised ratios obtained in the course of 3 examinations of the patients has shown definite differences in the efficacy of high and low doses of the drugs under study. The data obtained indicate that the therapeutic response was equal whatever the dose (in the developing and Asian countries). In the developed countries, high doses of the drugs were found to be more effective than low ones.