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ACTH 4–9 analogue (Org 2766) in depressed elderly patients
Author(s) -
Frederiksen S. O.,
D'Elia G.,
Bengtsson B. O.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1985.tb02619.x
Subject(s) - depression (economics) , placebo , anxiety , rating scale , medicine , hamilton depression scale , geriatric depression scale , pathological , hamilton rating scale for depression , anesthesia , psychiatry , psychology , major depressive disorder , hamd , depressive symptoms , economics , macroeconomics , developmental psychology , alternative medicine , pathology , amygdala
– Sixty‐two moderately depressed elderly in‐ and out‐patients were administered 80 mg ACTH 4–9 analogue (Org 2766) or placebo daily for 4 weeks in a double‐blind interindividual comparison. Patients were rated on days 0, 15 and 29 with the Hamilton Psychiatric Depression Rating Scale (HPDRS), The Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAS) and the Sandoz Clinical Assessment Geriatric Scale (SCAG). After 4 weeks 23 patients crossed over to the opposite treatment for a further 2 weeks. A statistically significant reduction in the severity of depression and anxiety was found in both treatment groups. No statistically significant differences were found between the treatment groups, when comparing scores for each item and total scores of HPDRS, HAS and SCAG on day 0, 15 or 29. Nor were there any statistically significant differences after the cross‐over. Somatic examination and laboratory screenings before and at the end of the study did not reveal any pathological changes. No side effects were recorded.