Affiliation:
1. Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran,
Abstract
Objectives:
Given the importance of the management of depression in patients with schizophrenia, this research was carried out to compare the therapeutic effects of escitalopram and citalopram on depressive symptoms of these patients.
Material and Methods:
This double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted on 60 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. The patients who had depression based on the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS) were included in the study. The first group received 10–40 mg/day of citalopram, and the second group received 5–20 mg/day of escitalopram. The patients were treated for 8 weeks. Any reduction in depressive symptoms based on the CDSS measure was considered the primary outcome of the research.
Results:
Although the two groups had no significant difference in CDSS score at the initial assessment (P = 0.86), after 8 weeks, the depressive symptoms decreased and a significant difference was observed between the two groups (P = 0.03). The two groups had no significant difference in drug side effects, except for anorexia (P = 0.03).
Conclusion:
Depressive symptoms decreased significantly after 8 weeks of treatment with both citalopram and escitalopram; however, these symptoms had more reduction in patients taking escitalopram than the individuals receiving citalopram.