¹"Konstantopouleio"-Patission General Hospital of Nea Ionia, Adult Psychiatric Clinic, Athens, Greece, ²Psychiatric Hospital of Attica ("Dafni"), Multi-Purpose Mental Health Nursing Unit, Athens, Greece

Background: Desvenlafaxine is the active metabolite of Venlafaxine (Desmethylvenlafaxine) and acts at a lower dose as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.

Aims & Objectives: Desvenlafaxine at a higher dose acts as a noradrenaline inhibitor and thus covers the reuptake of both biogenic amines in Depression.

Method: 20 patients (n=20) of the outpatient Psychiatric Clinics of the "Konstantopouleio"-Patission General Hospital of Nea Ionia were studied, of which 10 (n=10) were men and 10 (n=10) were women, who suffered from Major Depression. All patients received and completed the MADRS (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale) Questionnaire with a cut-off of 12, with the CGI (Clinical Global Inventory) Scale on the day of admission, at 30 and at 45 days of treatment with Desvenlafaxine 100-300mg.

Results: Of the above patients, 17 (n=17), 10 women (n=10) and 7 men (n=7), showed a decrease in the MADRS Scale below 12 (cut-off 10), a percentage of 85%, as well as in the CGI. While taking Desvenlafaxine, no patients experienced side effects.

Discussion & Conclusions: Desvenlafaxine is the new therapeutic challenge for the treatment of major depression and is added to the therapeutic quiver.