Symptom reduction in depression after treatment with L-tryptophan or imipramine: Item analysis of Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression.

38 inpatients with endogenous depression and 20 inpatients with nonendogenous depression participated in a 3-wk double-blind trial in which Ss were randomly allocated to treatment with either 6 g levotryptophan or 150 mg imipramine daily. Item analysis of Ss' responses to the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression before the investigation and weekly during the trial period demonstrated few statistically different mean scores on individual items between the 2 treatment groups. After 3 wks' treatment a statistically significant item mean reduction on the 0.1% level was found in the item Agitation in favor of imipramine-treated, and in the item Work and Activities in favor of levotryptophan-treated, endogenously depressed patients. After 3 wks' treatment a statistically significant item mean reduction on the 5% level was found in the item Suicide in favor of imipramine-treated nonendogenously depressed Ss. (8 ref) (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)