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Objective: We sought to evaluate efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a combination of clindamycin phosphate 1.2% and benzoyl peroxide 2.5% (clindamycin-BPO 2.5%) aqueous gel in moderate to severe acne vulgaris. Methods: A total of 2813 patients, aged 12 years or older, were randomized to receive clindamycin-BPO 2.5%, individual active ingredients, or vehicle in two identical, double-blind, controlled 12-week, 4-arm studies evaluating safety and efficacy (inflammatory and noninflammatory lesion counts) using Evaluator Global Severity Score and subject self-assessment. Results: Clindamycin-BPO 2.5% demonstrated statistical superiority to individual active ingredients and vehicle in reducing both inflammatory and noninflammatory lesions and acne severity. Visibly greater improvement was observed by patients with clindamycin-BPO 2.5% as early as week 2. No substantive differences were seen in cutaneous tolerability among treatment groups and less than 1% of patients discontinued treatment because of adverse events. Limitations: Data from controlled studies may differ from clinical practice. Conclusions: Clindamycin-BPO 2.5% provides statistically significant greater efficacy than individual active ingredients and vehicle with a highly favorable safety and tolerability profile. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether depressive symptoms were significantly associated with functional outcome measures in a clinically stable group of outpatients with schizophrenia. We also analyzed whether depressive and negative symptoms presented different patterns of predictors. Method: Seventy-eight consecutive outpatients meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision criteria for schizophrenia in the stable period were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Assessment were performed using the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia, Positive and Negative Syndromes Scale (PANSS), Clinical Global Impression Scale-severity, Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale, Sheehan Disability Scale, and Quality of Life Scale. A neuropsychologic battery including the vocabulary and block design subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, Wechsler Memory Scale, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and Continuous Performance Test was also administered to the patients. Two multiple regressions were performed testing demographic and clinical factors, rating scales, and cognitive measures as independent variables and Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia and PANSS-negative subscale scores as dependent variables. Results: Four variables were predictors of depressive symptoms in our sample of schizophrenic patients: 2 outcome measures (Sheehan Disability Scale and Quality of Life Scale), gender, and Continuous Performance Test reaction time. Predictors of negative symptoms were the measures of severity of psychopathology (Clinical Global Impression Scale- severity and PANSS-general psychopathology subscale) and the cognitive tests Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised block design and Wechsler Memory Scale. Conclusion: We found that depressive symptoms in schizophrenia are mainly a function of the level of social adjustment and quality of life, whereas negative symptoms constitute an indicator of severity of schizophrenia. The 2 symptom dimensions showed also distinct cognitive correlates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study related to improvement of depressive symptoms and cognitive functioning in nondemented elderly patients with both citalopram (Celexa) and sertraline (Zoloft). Subjects were 138 elderly outpatients aged more than 65 years. For this single-blind study, subjects were alternatively allocated to receive a morning dose of citalopram 20 mg/day or sertraline 50 mg/day. No other psychoactive drugs were allowed. An important aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of each treatment on psychosocial functioning. From one month forward, groups showed statistically significant changes in Global Assessment of Functioning scores.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare over 1 year the effect of sertraline and citalopram on depressive symptoms and cognitive functions of nondemented elderly patients with minor depressive disorder and subsyndromal depressive symptomatology., Method: We recruited 138 consecutive non-demented outpatients of either sex, aged > or =65 years, who were classified as meeting research criteria for minor depressive disorder or sub-syndromal depressive symptomatology using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. Subjects were assigned to receive citalopram 20 mg/day (66 patients) or sertraline 50 mg/day (72 patients) orally for 1 year. Patients were assessed at baseline and after 1, 2, 3, and 6 months and at 1 year by raters masked with regard to patients' treatment assignments. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the Geriatric Depression Scale, and the Global Assessment of Functioning were administered to assess the course of depressive symptoms and social functioning during the study. Cognitive measures included Trail Making Test-Parts A and B, Wechsler Memory Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination, and a verbal fluency test. Data were collected from March 2000 to March 2003., Results: The overall completion rate was 72%. Both treatments induced a significant, sustained, and comparable improvement in depressive symptoms and in social functioning. Nearly half of the subjects in the 2 groups achieved remitter status at study endpoint. Significant within-group improvements also were observed in all cognitive measures. Both drugs were well tolerated during the whole study period., Conclusion: Our results suggest that sertraline and citalopram can improve depressive symptoms and cognitive functions of minor depressive disorder and subsyndromal depressive symptomatology in elderly nondemented patients.