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Expert consensus on the use of trazodone in patients with major depressive disorder: results from a European Delphi panel

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 February 2026

Allan Hunter Young*
Affiliation:
Psychological Medicine, King’s College London , London, UK
Andrea Fagiolini
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Siena, Italy
Luis Agüera-Ortiz
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Marcin Siwek
Affiliation:
Department of Biological and Community Psychiatry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
Siegfried Kasper
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Division of General Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
*
Corresponding author: Allan H. Young; Email: a.young@Imperial.ac.uk

Abstract

Background

Trazodone is commonly used in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. This study aimed to establish consensus on the clinical scenarios and patient profiles for which trazodone treatment is considered suitable.

Methods

A two-round Delphi process was conducted across eight European countries. Statements regarding trazodone were rated by a panel of 32 experts for agreement or disagreement using a 9-point Likert scale; those with <70% agreement among panelists were revised and reassessed by the panel.

Results

There was strong consensus agreement on 68 out of 91 statements (75%) related to trazodone. According to the panel, trazodone is well tolerated, with low anticholinergic activity, minimal impact on sexual function, weight neutrality, and low potential for clinically relevant drug–drug interactions. Consensus agreement supported trazodone use across a broad spectrum of patients with MDD, including those with insomnia, anxiety, psychomotor agitation, substance use, physical comorbidities, neurological conditions, and treatment-resistant depression; consensus agreement was also achieved for trazodone use in elderly patients, and those experiencing adverse effects with other antidepressants.

Conclusions

This study suggests that trazodone is useful in the treatment of MDD across multiple patient profiles. These findings offer practical guidance to support individualized and evidence-based decision-making in clinical practice.

Information

Type
Research Article
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution and reproduction, provided the original article is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2026. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of European Psychiatric Association
Figure 0

Figure 1. Treatments used by expert panelists in patients with MDD in (A) first line, (B) second line, and (C) in combination with trazodone.Note: MAOis, monoamine oxidase inhibitors; MDD, major depressive disorder; NaSSAs, noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressants; NDRIs, norepinephrine/dopamine reuptake inhibitors; SARIs, serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitors; SMSs, serotonin modulator and stimulators; SNRIs, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors; SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor; TCAs, tricyclic antidepressants.

Figure 1

Table 1. Mechanism-of-action statements achieving consensus agreement

Figure 2

Table 2. Efficacy statements achieving consensus agreement

Figure 3

Table 3. Safety and tolerability statements achieving consensus agreement

Figure 4

Table 4. Drug–drug interaction statements achieving consensus agreement

Figure 5

Table 5. Statements on suitable patient profiles achieving consensus agreement

Figure 6

Figure 2. Median scores for agreement/disagreement on use of trazodone in different settings (1st and 2nd line; monotherapy and combination therapy) for specific patient profiles. Bars represent the coefficient of variation for each patient profile.Note: *Statements with strong consensus of agreement. GAD, generalized anxiety disorder; MCI, mild cognitive impairment; MDD, major depressive disorder; OCD, obsessive-compulsive disorder; PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder.

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