[Clinical experience with agomelatine for the treatment of depression in elderly patients in outpatient practice].

UNLABELLED: Objective. To determine the therapeutic efficacy and safety of agomelatine (valdoxan) in elderly patients with mild and moderate depression during outpatient treatment. Material and methods. The 60-79-year-old age group consisted of 20 patients with mild and moderate depressive episode who received agomelatine. Mild and moderate depressive episode was determined according to depressive disorder criteria of ICD-10. The therapeutic dose for agomelatine treatment was 25 or 50 mg/day once daily (in the evening) during 6 weeks. Results. Depressive symptoms reduced during the first 2 weeks of therapy with agomelatine. Agomelatine was effective in reducing both anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as significantly improved the health-related quality of the patient's life. Agomelatine did not negatively impact on cognitive function and had not pronounced and serious adverse events. CONCLUSION: Agomelatine can be recommended for use in clinical practice for the treatment of elderly outpatients with mild and moderate depression disorders.