Dose–response relationship of duloxetine in placebo-controlled clinical trials in patients with major depressive disorder

Rationale The optimal dose for achieving the maximum antidepressive effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin-noradrenalin reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) remains a controversial issue. The varying sensitivity of scales that measure the severity of depression is one of the many factors affecting the evaluation of the dose–response relationship with antidepressants.