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Adding T3 to Paroxetine Adds No Benefit in Depressed Patients: Presented at ECE

By Alison Palkhivala

LYON, FRANCE -- April 28, 2003 -- Adding triiodothyronine (T3) to paroxetine for the treatment of patients with depression does not enhance the efficacy of therapy but does increase side effect incidence.

In a trial led by Jantien P. Brouwer from the department of endocrinology, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 113 patients who met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual - Revision IV criteria for major depressive disorder were randomized to treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) paroxetine 30 mg plus placebo, paroxetine 30 mg plus T3 25 mcg (low dose) or paroxetine 30 mg plus T3 50 mcg (high dose) for 8 weeks.

All participants had a Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (Ham-D) score of 16 or higher, none had a thyroid or adrenal disorder and none had been treated with an antidepressant in the previous 3 months.

Overall, 106 patients took at least one dose of the study drug, 50 in the paroxetine alone group, 28 in the paroxetine plus low dose T3 group and 28 in the paroxetine plus high dose T3 group. The trial was 8 weeks long.

Dr. Brouwer presented the results here on April 28^th at the 6^th European Congress of Endocrinology.

The addition of T3 to paroxetine therapy did not influence response or remission rates. Response rate, defined as at least a 50% reduction in Ham-D score, was 46% in all treatment arms. Remission rate, defined as attaining a Ham-D score of 8 or less, was 36% in the paroxetine alone group and 32% in both T3 groups.

Patients taking T3 had significantly more side effects than those taking paroxetine alone. Most frequent side effects with T3 were sweating, nervousness, palpitations and tremor.

"My conclusion is short," said Dr. Brouwer. "the addition of T3 to paroxetine is not effective for the treatment of depression."


[Efficacy Of Triiodothyronine (T3) Addition To Paroxetine In Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomised Clinical Trial. Abstract: O-29.]

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