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Table 1 Dose schedule

From: Efficacy, safety and tolerability of escitalopram in doses up to 50 mg in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): an open-label, pilot study

Visit weeks

MADRS score

Dose of escitaloprama

Week 1

Any

10 mg

Week 2

Any

20 mg

Week 4

Any

20 mg (review visit)

Week 6

<12

Maintain dose at 20 mg

 

≥12

Increase dose to 30 mg

Week 8

≤8

Maintain current dose (20 or 30 mg) for 4 weeks

 

>8

Increase dose (20 mg to 30 mg or 30 mg to 35 mg) for 2 weeksb

4-weekly intervals until Week 32

≤8

Maintain current dose for 4 weeks

 

>8

Increase dose (20 mg to 30 mg or 5 mg increment at 2-weekly intervals) up to 50 mgb

  1. a Irrespective of their MADRS score, patients unable to tolerate a higher dose had their dose decreased (30 to 20 mg or 5 mg decrease). Patients with a MADRS score >8 who were intolerant of a higher dose were maintained on their current dose for 2 or 4 weeks, depending on their visit schedule.
  2. bPatients with a dose increase were assessed at an additional visit 2 weeks later. At this visit, patients with a MADRS ≤8 had their dose maintained for a further 2 weeks, whereas patients with a MADRS >8 had their dose increased for 2 weeks.