Persistent benefits of slow titration of XXXX in a six-month follow-up.

@entity1 @entity308 @entity903 @entity148
OBJECTIVE: @entity903 titration may be difficult in older individuals as they are more sensitive to side effects. The current study extends to 6   months our previously published report in which @entity903 was started at 2.5   mg/day and slowly increased by 2.5   mg on alternate days (slow titration) or rapidly titrated to target dose from 10   mg/day (standard titration) in a naturalistic setting. METHODS: Here, the follow-up period was extended to 26   weeks. We performed an intent-to-treat analysis of 47 subjects from the original sample (major @entity308 and/or @entity148 ( @entity148 ); >60   years of age). Missing evaluations were replaced by last observations carried forward. @entity148 was included as a stratification factor. RESULTS: @entity1 in whom @entity903 was slowly up-titrated were more likely to remit (84.0% vs 54.5%; p   =   0.028) and had lower core @entity308 (p   =   0.0015) and @entity148 (p   =   0.006) after 26   weeks. Dropout rate was 20% in the slow titration group compared with 77.3% in the standard titration arm (p   <   0.001). @entity1 with @entity148 accounted for all significant associations. No substantial differences were reported between slow and standard titration groups in the subsample without @entity148 . CONCLUSIONS: Despite some limitations, these findings suggest that @entity903 treatment should be started at lower doses in older @entity308 @entity1 and slowly up-titrated. This strategy would allow to increase antidepressant response and the likelihood of completing treatment cycle in @entity1 with high anxiety levels and @entity148 comorbidity. Copyright    2015 John Wiley _ Sons, Ltd.
