Inpatients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of Major Depression
single episode or recurrent
moderate to severe intensity
without psychotic features
Inpatients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of bipolar disorder I or II
current episode with depressive symptoms
moderate to severe intensity
without psychotic features
HAM-D score at the time of inclusion in the study ≥ 14
Patient has already been adjusted to one of the following antidepressants in a dose which is still under the defined normal-dose:
paroxetine \< 40 mg/d
sertraline \< 100 mg/d
citalopram \< 40 mg/d
escitalopram \< 20 mg/d
venlafaxine \< 225 mg/d
amitriptyline \< 150 mg/d
amitriptylinoxide \< 150 mg/d
nortriptyline \< 150 mg/d
trimipramine \< 150 mg/d
You may not be if
Acute suicidality (HAM-D Item 3 score \> 2)
Acute alcohol-, hypnotics-, analgesics- or psychopharmacological intoxication or delirium
Current alcohol dependence, or dependencies from other psychotropic substances
Severe medical or neurological diseases: patients with severe hepatic (severe impairment of liver function, cirrhosis of the liver), renal (kidney malfunctions), cardiovascular (recent myocardial infarction, instable heart disease), neurological diseases (e.g. multiple sclerosis, Parkinson, dementia)
Patients incapable of giving informed consent
Pregnant or breast-feeding women
Women of reproductive age without effective contraception
Simultaneous participation in other clinical trials or participation in an other clinical trial within 6 weeks before the start of the study
Hypersensitivity to the study medication or to one of the ingredients of the medication
Simultaneous treatment with another antidepressant besides study medication (exception: trazodone up to 75 mg/d, mirtazapine up to 15 mg/d, trimipramine up to 50 mg/d)
Simultaneous treatment with mood stabilizers or neuroleptic drugs (exception: quetiapine up to 50 mg/d, olanzapine up to 5 mg/d)
