Efficacy was not statistically significantly different among individual SSRIs or between SSRIs as a group and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) or other antidepressants. This remained true regardless of the patient mix, whether they were inpatients or outpatients, age, or drug doses. Although placebo was shown to produce improvement, SSRIs were significantly more efficacious than placebo.
Completion rates were not statistically significantly different among individual SSRIs or between SSRIs as a group and TCAs or other antidepressants (whether patients are elderly or adult, or whether they are inpatients or outpatients). Completion rates with SSRIs were significantly better than with placebo.
Differences in drop-outs (between SSRIs and TCAs) due to lack of effect or worsening of symptoms were not statistically significantly different. Neither were the differences in drop-out rates due to adverse events, except when adult and outpatient group were combined. In the combined group of adults and outpatients, there were 2% fewer drop-outs due to adverse events, a statistically significant difference.
SSRIs were shown to be associated with statistically significantly more nausea, anorexia, diarrhea, anxiety, agitation, insomnia and nervousness than TCAs. On the other hand, patients on SSRIs have statistically significantly fewer rates of: dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision and dizziness than with TCAs. The method by which information on adverse events was elicited did not significantly alter these findings.