Summary

A double-blind trial was carried out in 47 patients with depression to compare the effectiveness of 30 mg mianserin, 60 mg mianserin and 50 mg sustained-release amitriptyline, each given as a single dose at night over a period of 4 weeks. Hamilton Rating Scale scores showed signgcant, progressive improvement from Week 1 with all three regimens. Although the differences between the groups were not significant, the greatest improvement occurred after 60 mg mianserin daily and the order of effectiveness was consistent for various Hamilton Rating Scale items. Patient seu-assessment, using visual analogue scales, gave similar results to the Hamilton Rating Scale with signijicant, progressive improvement in all groups. Once again, a consistent order of effectiveness was evident with most of the items, the greatest improvement being noted with 60 mg mianserin daily and the least with 30 mg mianserin daily. There was a considerable reduction in the number of reports of symptoms recorded before the trial during treatment in all groups. The only increase in symptoms possibly drug-related was of blurred vision in patients receiving amitriptyline.