Switching to duloxetine from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in non- or partial responders: Results from a Spanish sample

Objectives. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of switching from a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) to duloxetine in non- or partial responders. Methods. This is a post-hoc analysis of the pooled data of the Spanish sample from an open-label, multicentre study. Additionally, a 6-month continuation safety phase was performed. Results. A total of 156 patients were switched to duloxetine from SSRIs. More than 83% completed the acute phase, of whom 75% went into the continuation phase. At baseline, the mean duration of SSRI treatment was 71.2 weeks and the HAM-D17 mean score was 22.4. In the acute-phase, symptoms severity significantly improved after 10 weeks of duloxetine treatment as measured by mean change from baseline in HAM-D17 total score (−10.5; P