Posted by dr. dave on September 3, 2002, at 5:41:52
In reply to Re: Raines et al/see bottom » Patson, posted by pharmrep on September 3, 2002, at 0:58:11
Let me explain again. I haven't seen evidence to support the claim that escitalopram has fewer side-effects than citalopram. I have presented all the data that are available on relative side-effects in a previous post, and they don't support this claim.
People are now claiming that Raines et al shows escitalopram has fewer side-effects than citalopram. I am not sure how you can come to this conclusion when there was no comparison made. If there is anything in the study that does say it has fewer side-effects than citalopram, I haven't seen it.
All the studies available show no significant difference in side effects between escitalopram and citalopram. If Raines et al does give evidence to contradict this I would be glad if someone could say what that evidence is. Escitalopram having a low level of side-effects is great but unless you know what level of side-effects citalopram would give under the same conditions, you don't know if there's any difference.
It is not enough to read a diffusely enthusiastic tone in a paper and then take this to mean every claim made about the drug must therefore be true. Things can only be taken to be true if there is evidence that they are true. To show that there is a difference in side-effects between escitalopram and citalopram, present the evidence.
> > I have to admit I'm a little confused. Maybe I don't understand english all that well....
> >
> > The investigators observed continued improvement in subjects with further reductions in the MADRS and CGI-S scores. ****The incidence of adverse events declined during escitalopram treatment versus short-term treatment. ****There were no clinically significant mean changes in vital signs, electrocardiogram (ECG), or laboratory values observed during continued escitalopram treatment, regardless of previous treatment. Researchers observed no new clinically significant adverse events in patients switching from citalopram to escitalopram treatment.
> >
> > "In patients switched from citalopram to escitalopram, there are no safety concerns, and depressive symptoms continue to improve." the researchers concluded.
> >
> > Hardly sounds like a negative...
> > > You can find a report by going to http://www.docguide.com and searching for 'escitalopram'. There is a news report dated 08/29/02 on the switching study. If there were any difference between citalopram and escitalopram the side-effects would have decreased and this would have been a major finding. It is noticeable by its absence.
> > >
> > >
> > > > "Indeed new research presented this week (Raines et al) looking at people switching from citalopram to escitalopram did not show any significant reduction in side-effects."
> > > >
> > > > That sounds important. Got a link? Or, can you copy and post?
> > > >
> > >
> ************** I run into the same problems with Dr. Dave too, he always seems to reach a different conclusion than what the study finds.
poster:dr. dave
thread:109458
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020829/msgs/118637.html