Participant demographics and symptom severity.

Dysthymic patients did not differ significantly from healthy controls in age (p = 0.41) or sex (χ2 = 0.17, df = 1, p = 0.68). Duloxetine-treated patients did not differ from placebo-treated patients in age (p = 0.44), symptom severity (p = 0.26), or lifetime history of Major Depressive Disorder (χ2 = 1.17, df = 1, p = 0.27), but differed significantly on sex (χ2 = 7.15, df = 1, p = 0.007). The excellent remission rate in duloxetine-treated patients is likely because of their treatment with a high dose (~95 mg/day) of duloxetine. Responder is defined as a patient whose symptom severity at week 10 decreased by 50% or more relative to its baseline severity. The table lists the average and standard deviation for age and symptom severity.