Randomised Placebo-controlled Duloxetine-referenced Study of Efficacy and Safety of 15 and 20 mg of Vortioxetine (Lu AA21004) in Acute Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder in Adults

The Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) is a depression rating scale consisting of 10 items, each rated 0 (no symptom) to 6 (severe symptom). The 10 items represent the core symptoms of depressive illness. The rating should be based on a clinical interview with the patient, moving from broadly phrased questions about symptoms to more detailed ones, which allow a precise rating of severity, covering the last 7 days. Total score from 0 to 60. The higher the score, the more severe.

The Clinical Global Impression - Global Improvement (CGI-I) is a 7-point scale rated from 1 (very much improved) to 7 (very much worse). The investigator rated the patient's overall improvement relative to baseline, whether or not, in the opinion of the investigator, this was entirely due to the drug treatment.

The Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) comprises self-rated items designed to measure impairment. The patient rates the extent to which his or her (1) work, (2) social life or leisure activities and (3) home life or family responsibilities are impaired on a 10-point visual analogue scales, on which 0 = normal functioning and 10 = severe functional impairment. The three items may be summed into a single dimensional measure of global functional impairment that ranges from 0 (unimpaired) to 30 (highly impaired). The higher the score, the more severe.

The Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX) is a 5-item, patient self-rated scale that evaluates a patient's recent sexual experience. Patients are asked to assess their own experience over the last week (for example, "How strong is your sex drive?", "Are your orgasms satisfying?") and respond on a 6-point scale for each item. The ASEX is used to identify individuals with sexual dysfunction. Possible total score ranges from 5 to 30, with the higher score indicating more patient sexual dysfunction. A negative change indicates a lower sexual dysfunction.

The Discontinuation-Emergent Signs and Symptoms Scale (DESS) was designed to evaluate possible effects of discontinuation of antidepressant therapy. It is a clinician-rated instrument that queries for signs and symptoms on a 43-item checklist (for example, agitation, insomnia, fatigue, and dizziness) to assess whether the item (event) is discontinuation-emergent. A new or worsened event reported after discontinuation of therapy scores 1 point on the checklist, and the DESS total score is the sum of all positive scores on the checklist. A higher score indicates more symptoms.