Amitriptyline-perphenazine and doxepin in depressed outpatients: a controlled double-blind study

Amitriptyline-perphenazine (100/8-150/12 mg/day) and doxepin (100-150 mg/day) were compared for clinical efficacy and safety in a sample of 130 nonpsychotic depressed outpatients. Maximum study duration was 4 weeks; 19 amitriptyline-perphenazine and 29 doxepin patients completed less than or equal to 3 weeks of treatment and 45 amitriptyline-perphenazine and 37 doxepin patients completed 4 weeks of treatment. Patients in both groups showed significant improvement in depression, but amitriptyline-perphenazine produced greater improvement than doxepin on several measures of depressive symptomatology. The incidence of anticholinergic and sedative side effects was higher in the amitriptyline-perphenazine treated group.