A double-blind study of bupropion and placebo in depression

Bupropion HCl, a new nontricyclic antidepressant, produced marked improvement in 49 hospitalized patients with primary depression at doses of 300-600 mg/day. Bupropion resulted in statistically significant differences from placebo as early as day 5, and by the end of the 4-week study 79% (N = 27) of the bupropion patients and 13% (N = 2) of the placebo patients showed much to very much improvement. Bupropion and placebo had similar side effect profiles. Tremor and sweating were reported more often with bupropion and headache, nausea, and tiredness with placebo.