The effect of sequential antidepressant treatment on geriatric depression.

This study evaluated the outcome of elderly depressed patients who were refractory to, or intolerant of, an initial trial of nortriptyline and who then underwent systematic treatment with other antidepressant therapies. 101 patients entered the study and 61% responded to nortriptyline, 64% of patients who did not improve with nortriptyline eventually responded to other antidepressant treatments. Response to second-line treatment (phenelzine) was significantly slower than response to the tricyclic antidepressant. Treatment nonresponders were more likely to have a longer episode length at index assessment and higher baseline anxiety scores compared with responders. This study demonstrates the importance of persisting with systematic antidepressant therapy in elderly patients who do not respond to the first trial of treatment.