Effects of concurrent treatment with amitriptyline hydrochloride tablets and fluoxetine hydrochloride on therapeutic indicator levels in patients with depression

Purpose: To investigate the effects of combined treatment of amitriptyline hydrochloride tablets and fluoxetine hydrochloride on therapeutic indicator levels in depressive patients. Methods: Patients with depression (n = 104) were divided into control group and study group (52 cases each) using random number table method. Control group was treated with oral fluoxetine hydrochloride (FH) tablets only, while the study group received amitriptyline hydrochloride tablets, in addition to fluoxetine hydrochloride tablets. Both treatments lasted 3 months. Clinical effects and thyroid function indices were determined and compared for the two groups. Results: Treatment effectiveness in the study group (92.3 %) was markedly higher than that in control group (75.0 %, p < 0.05). In both groups, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Hamilton Depression Scale and Hamilton Anxiety Table scores significantly decreased post-treatment (p < 0.05). In contrast, there was significant increase in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and serotonin (5-HT) levels in the two groups. In both groups, T3 and T4 significantly decreased while thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) increased significantly (p < 0.05). Thyroid function in the study group was markedly higher than in the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Combination treatment with amitriptyline hydrochloride tablets and FH is more effective than FH alone in the treatment of patients with depression. The combined treatment has a high degree of safety and is recommended for clinical application.