Martin M. Katz: Onset of Antidepressant Effect
Martin M. Katz’s reply to Carlos Morra’s comment

Professor Morra, in response to Klein’s reanalysis of our data that suggested onset was generally delayed beyond two weeks, reports confirmatory findings of early response from Kasper et al (2006). Their pooled, large sample study that used the Ham-D scale to evaluate change, added further to the accumulated evidence that clinical actions of the antidepressants can be detected within the first week of treatment. Their results also suggested that such clinical actions can be seen in many patients during the first 24 hours after the first dose.

It is useful to add the results of this Kasper study to the now firm body of evidence accumulated on this issue of time of onset of the clinical actions of antidepressants, vitally important to research on further drug development and to clinical practice in the treatment of the depressive disorders.

Reference
Kasper S, Spadone C, Verpillat P, Angst J. Onset of action of escitalopram compared with other antidepressants: results of a pooled analysis. Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 2006; 1: 105-10.

Martin M. Katz
November 19, 2015