Study Comparing Discontinuation Symptoms Of DVS SR In Subjects With Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Comparador de Placebo: Placebo

Medicamento: Placebo

DVS SR Placebo Abrupt Discontinuation Group/Arm, oral tablet, 2 tablets/day during the first week and 1 tablet/day during weeks 2 through 4 of the double-blind treatment phase.

Comparador Ativo: Desvenlafaxine Succinate Sustained-Release Formulation 50 mg

Medicamento: Desvenlafaxine Succinate Sustained-Release Formulation 50 mg

DVS SR 50 mg Reference Group/Arm, oral tablet, 2 tablets/day during the first week and 1 tablet/day during weeks 2 through 4 of the double-blind treatment phase.

Comparador Ativo: Desvenlafaxine Succinate Sustained-Release Formulation 25 mg

Medicamento: Desvenlafaxine Succinate Sustained-Release Formulation 25 mg

DVS SR 25 mg Taper Group/Arm, oral tablet, 2 tablets/day during the first week and 1 tablet/day during weeks 2 through 4 of the double-blind treatment phase.

Total Discontinuation - Emergent Signs and Symptoms (DESS) Score Over the First 2 Weeks of the Double-blind Phase

Clinician-administered 43-item assessment to evaluate discontinuation-emergent symptoms resulting from withdrawal from study treatment. Total score=sum of number of new symptoms and old (but worse) symptoms (score=1) and old and unchanged symptom, absent, or old symptom but improved (score=0); total possible range 0 to 43. Higher score=more symptoms. New symptom=any symptom that appeared within 7 days before DESS administration; old symptom=any symptom that appeared 7 days before DESS administration and continued into 7-day period. DESS calculated as 2*mean(of DESSDB Week 1, DESSDB Week 2).

Percentage of Participants With Taper Adverse Events (AEs) in the Double-blind Phase

Any untoward medical occurrence in a patient who received study drug was considered an AE without regard to possibility of causal relationship. Taper-emergent AEs (TPAEs) are those events which occurred during the double-blind period but did not occur during the last 7 days of the on-therapy period or existed during the last 7 days and worsened in the double-blind period.

Percentage of Participants Who Were Unable to Successfully Complete Tapering of the Study Drug Because of the Number and/or Severity of Their Discontinuation Symptoms

Discontinuation symptoms may occur following abrupt cessation of serotonergic antidepressants in a minority of participants following short-term treatment of an episode of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The symptoms include emotional and somatic symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, and paresthesia and typically appear within 2 to 3 days of reducing the dose or stopping the antidepressant medication. Discontinuation symptoms are usually mild and resolve spontaneously within a week in the majority of patients, though a minority can have intense and prolonged symptoms.