Desvenlafaxine Appears to Improve Low Energy in Major Depression

Desvenlafaxine appears to improve energy and diminish lassitude in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), with a significant association between improvements in energy/fatigue and overall functional outcomes, according to areport in theJournal of Psychopharmacology.“Fatigue and lack of energy may have a significant impact on MDD patient functioning, including cognitive functioning at school and at work,” wrote Raymond W. Lamb, M.D., of the University of British Columbia and colleagues. “[I]t is critical for clinicians to treat energy symptoms in patients with depression and to address residual energy symptoms, even in remitted patients, so that patients may return to full functioning after a depressive episode.”The study was sponsored by Pfizer Inc., which manufactures desvenlafaxine (Pristiq).Data from nine randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of MDD with a total of 4,279 patients were pooled to evaluate the effects of desvenlafaxine 50 mg/d and 100 mg/d on energy and lassitude in adults with MDD. For the analysis of the effect of treatment on energy/lassitude symptoms, all Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D17) endpoints were analyzed at baseline and weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8, and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Scale (MADRS) lassitude item 7 was assessed at baseline and weeks 2, 4, and 8.For both desvenlafaxine dose groups, a statistically significant effect of desvenlafaxine versus placebo was observed for all energy/lassitude symptom ou...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: desvenlafaxine Journal of Psychopharmacology lassitude low energy major depressive disorder Pfizer Raymond Lamb Source Type: research