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Acute and continuation therapy in unipolar depression: observations from the run‐in phase of a maintenance trial
Author(s) -
Gram Lf
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2008.01182.x
Subject(s) - depression (economics) , antidepressant , tricyclic , medicine , logistic regression , lithium (medication) , major depressive disorder , tricyclic antidepressant , psychiatry , depressive symptoms , cognition , anxiety , economics , pharmacology , macroeconomics
Objective: The aim of the study was to analyze treatments and outcome in depressed patients. Method: Patients with recurrent depressive disorder ( n = 289), recruited for a prophylaxis study, were followed up in hospital settings for 6 months with diagnostic and depression ratings at baseline and monthly depression ratings. Data on psychotropic drugs were retrieved from hospital case records. Independent associations between baseline, treatment and outcome variables were examined by logistic regression models. Results: Depressive symptoms subsided gradually. After 6 months, 21% had dropped out, 43% were rated as remitted (HAM‐D‐17 <8) and 8% had not responded (HAM‐D‐17 >15). Patients once remitted rarely relapsed (<5%). All patients received antidepressant drugs, half of them more than one (2–4) as well as other psychotropic drugs. Patients responding poorly received more frequently multiple antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants, hypnosedatives, lithium and/or antipsychotics. Conclusion: The 6‐month outcome was generally poor. Choice of treatment appeared at least partly to be determined by the therapeutic outcome.