Transdermal Selegiline in Major Depression: a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study in Outpatients

The authors investigated the efficacy & safety of transdermal selegiline in adult outpatients with major depressive disorder. 177 adult outpatients with major depressive disorder were randomly assigned to receive transdermal selegiline or placebo for 6 weeks. Response was measured using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale, & the Clinical Global Impression severity & improvement measures. The scores of the selegiline patients improved more than those of patients given placebo on Hamilton depression scale item 3 (suicide), but the difference between groups was not significant. (33 refs)