Sertraline with or without interpersonal psychotherapy reduces dysthymia symptoms over psychotherapy alone.

Participants 707 adults with DSM-IV dysthmic disorder. All were aged 18–74 years (mean 42 years; 68% female). People with a chronic or acute episode of a major depressive disorder were eligible. Exclusion criteria were previous sertraline use; hypersensitivity to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors; acute suicide risk; depot neuroleptic drugs within 6 months; participation in other trials within 1 month; use of sertonergic drugs; primary or secondary diagnosis of a psychotic disorder; clinically significant or unstable medical conditions; pregnancy; lactation, and women of childbearing age not using reliable contraception or planning pregnancy within 25 months.