Cognitive therapy versus fluoxetine in the treatment of dysthymic disorder

Depression. 1996;4(1):34-41. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1522-7162(1996)4:1<34::AID-DEPR4>3.0.CO;2-F.

Abstract

We studied the effects of a fixed dose of fluoxetine (20 mg) or cognitive psychotherapy in a 16 week trial of patients with dysthymic disorder. More patients assigned to fluoxetine dropped out of the 16 week treatment (33%) than those assigned to cognitive therapy (9%), but this difference did not attain statistical significance. Both treatments showed improvement over baseline conditions at 8 weeks and further improvement at 16 weeks. There were no statistically significant group differences in treatment response. No follow-up data were collected so the enduring effects of the treatments are unknown. An optimal treatment for dysthymic disorder may be combined psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for a longer period of time.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / adverse effects
  • Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / therapeutic use*
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy*
  • Dysthymic Disorder / diagnosis
  • Dysthymic Disorder / psychology
  • Dysthymic Disorder / therapy*
  • Female
  • Fluoxetine / adverse effects
  • Fluoxetine / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Personality Inventory
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation
  • Fluoxetine