Doxepin versus imipramine in psychoneurotic depressed patients with sleep disturbance: a double-blind study

This double-blind randomized study compared the effects of imipramine (48 patients) and doxepin (49 patients) in psychoneurotic depressed patients with sleep disturbance symptoms. Mean doses of 112.7 mg/day for doxepin and 116.7 mg/day for imipramine were administered for a mean period of 26 days. While both drugs proved effective, 24 of 27 analyses of covariance showed imipramine to be superior to doxepin. This superiority was statistically significant for the anxiety/depression factor measured on the Hamilton Depression Scale and for the total score, general neurotic feelings factor, cognitive performance difficulty factor and anger-hostility cluster on the Lepman-Rickels Scale. Mild-to-moderate side effects were prevalent to a comparable degree in both treatment groups.