Efficacy of tianeptine (Stablon®) for the treatment of major depression and dysthymia with somatic complaints. A comparative study versus fluoxetine (Prozac®)

This double-blind trial involved a 90-day comparison of the efficacy and acceptability of tianeptine and of fluoxetine in 206 patients with major depression, as an isolated episode or recurrent, or dysthymia with associated somatic complaints. The antidepressant efficacy of tianeptine and fluoxetine was identical, the same applying to their action on anxiety and associated somatic complaints (HARD, FARD) symptom check-list). Analysis of combined drugs was interesting, revealing a significant (p=0.044 on D 30, p=0.036 on D 60 and P=0.027 on D 90) difference between the two groups to advantage of the tianeptine. Combined prescription of a tranquillizer decreased by 50% between D 0 and D 90 in the tianeptine group, while it showed no change in the fluoxetine group throughout the study period. Thus, in this study, it was more often necessary to add a tranquillizer to the prescription of fluoxetine in order to obtain a therapeutic effect similar to that obtained with tianeptine alone.