Clinical Investigation In Outpatients With Geriatric Depression In The Department Of Neurology Of General Hospital

Objective: â‘ To investigate the psychological characteristics and clinical features of outpatients with geriatric depression in the department of neurology of general hospital. â‘¡To evaluate the efficacy and safety of citalopram in these patients through a randomized controlled clinical trial.Methods: 55 outpatients at least 60 yeras old according with diagnostic standard of CCMD-3 on geriatric depression were tested with EPQ-A and SCL-90, the results were compared with Chinese normals. 55 outpatients were divided into treat group(29 examples) and contrast group (26 examples) at random and treated separately with citalopram and oryzanol. The primary outcome measure was the decrease of the HAMD and CGI-SI.Results: â‘ Male and female's scores N and P of EPQ-A were higher than Chinese normals significantly (p<0.01 ) , scores E was lower than normals significantly (p<0.01) .The total and nine factors of SCL-90 were higher than Chinese normals significantly (p<0.001) . â‘¡Citalpram was superior effective concerning the primary outcome criterion HAMD [decrease from 27.41 to 12.68 in the citaloprm group and from 28.04 to 23.87 in the contrast group(p<0.01) ]. This was corroborated by the result of a statistically significant superior efficacy in the outcome criteria additionally used such as SCL-90 and CGI-SI. Safety of citalopram was excellent.Conclusions: ?The outpatients with geriatric depression have the deficiency in personality of neuroticism and psychoticism. In addition to the somatization, they are usually combined with other psychological symptoms such as depression and anxiety. ?The data from controlled clinical trial show excellent efficacy and safety of citalopram in geriatric depression.