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Long-Term Use of Tianeptine in 380 Depressed Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 August 2018

H. Lôo*
Affiliation:
Service Hospitalo-Universitaire de Santé Mentale et de Thérapeutique, Hôpital Sainte Anne, Paris, France
H. Ganry
Affiliation:
Institut de Recherches Internationales Servier, Courbevoie, France
H. Dufour
Affiliation:
Departement Universitaire de Psychiatrie Adulte, Hôpital de Cery, Lausanne, Switzerland
J. D. Guelfi
Affiliation:
Clinique des Maladies Mentales et de l'Encephale, Hôpital Sainte Anne, Paris, France
R. Malka
Affiliation:
Centre Gilbert Raby, Meulan, et Institut de Psychiatrie La Rochefoucault, Paris, France
J. P. Olié
Affiliation:
Service Hospitalo-Universitaire de Santé Mentale et de Thérapeutique, Hôpital Sainte Anne, Paris, France
H. Scharbach
Affiliation:
Centre Hospitaller Régional, Service Medico-Psychologique Infanto-Juvénile, Nantes, France
J. Tignol
Affiliation:
Centre Carreire, Bordeaux, France
C. Marey
Affiliation:
Institut de Recherches Internationales Servier, Courbevoie, France
A. Kamoun
Affiliation:
Institut de Recherches Internationales Servier, 6 place des Pléiades, 92415 Courbevoie, Cedex, France
*
Correspondence

Extract

Tianeptine is a new tricyclic compound whose principal action is to increase the reuptake of serotonin. In a multicentre trial in which 380 depressed patients were treated for one year, tianeptine produced a significant reduction in the MADRS scores from day 14, with a sustained reduction maintained for up to 12 months; other measures of efficacy (HRSA, HSCL, and CGI) also reflected the improvement. Only 11% of patients withdrew because of recurrence of depression and 2% because of side-effects, which were mainly drowsiness, irritability, and gastrointestinal disturbance. Apart from a minor reduction in heart rate, unaccompanied by any conduction changes, no clinically relevant changes in vital signs or laboratory tests were seen. Seven subjects who attempted suicide by tianeptine overdose had favourable outcomes, in spite of also taking other psychotropic drugs or alcohol. No evidence of tolerance or withdrawal symptoms was seen after treatment was stopped. These results suggest that tianeptine has the potential to provide safe antidepressant activity in both the acute and chronic phases of treatment.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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