BACKGROUND: Late-life depression studies have found that comorbid anxiety, as a symptom or comorbid disorder, is associated with poorer treatment response and increased likelihood of dropout. This study evaluated the impact of comorbid anxiety on response, dropouts, and side effects, in elderly subjects treated for depression. METHODS: We analyzed data from a 12-week trial comparing nortriptyline and paroxetine in 116 patients aged 60 and older with depression. Subjects classified as having anxious depression were compared to those with nonanxious depression in terms of treatment response rate, time to response, dropout rate, and early side effects. The analysis was replicated with another study, in which 125 subjects aged 69 and older were treated openly withparoxetine and interpersonal psychotherapy. RESULTS: Anxious and nonanxious groups did not differ in terms of response rates, time to response, dropout rates, or time to dropout. Side effects declined more quickly and more significantly in the anxious group than in the nonanxious group. LIMITATIONS: Subjects were treated in a specialty mental health setting, and the findings may not apply in other settings. CONCLUSIONS: We found no association between comorbid anxiety and a poorer prognosis during acute treatment of late-life depression. For elderly patients with anxious depression, standardized treatment in the mental health sector is associated with a good response.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND:Late-life depression studies have found that comorbid anxiety, as a symptom or comorbid disorder, is associated with poorer treatment response and increased likelihood of dropout. This study evaluated the impact of comorbid anxiety on response, dropouts, and side effects, in elderly subjects treated for depression. METHODS: We analyzed data from a 12-week trial comparing nortriptyline and paroxetine in 116 patients aged 60 and older with depression. Subjects classified as having anxious depression were compared to those with nonanxious depression in terms of treatment response rate, time to response, dropout rate, and early side effects. The analysis was replicated with another study, in which 125 subjects aged 69 and older were treated openly with paroxetine and interpersonal psychotherapy. RESULTS: Anxious and nonanxious groups did not differ in terms of response rates, time to response, dropout rates, or time to dropout. Side effects declined more quickly and more significantly in the anxious group than in the nonanxious group. LIMITATIONS: Subjects were treated in a specialty mental health setting, and the findings may not apply in other settings. CONCLUSIONS: We found no association between comorbid anxiety and a poorer prognosis during acute treatment of late-life depression. For elderly patients with anxious depression, standardized treatment in the mental health sector is associated with a good response.
Authors: Adam Greenlee; Jordan F Karp; Mary Amanda Dew; Patricia Houck; Carmen Andreescu; Charles F Reynolds Journal: Depress Anxiety Date: 2010-05 Impact factor: 6.505
Authors: Carmen Andreescu; Meryl Butters; Eric J Lenze; Vijay K Venkatraman; Megan Nable; Charles F Reynolds; Howard J Aizenstein Journal: Int J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2009-08 Impact factor: 3.485
Authors: Helen C Kales; Donald E Nease; Jo Anne Sirey; Kara Zivin; Hyungjin Myra Kim; Janet Kavanagh; Shana Lynn; Claire Chiang; Harold W Neighbors; Marcia Valenstein; Frederic C Blow Journal: Am J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2013-02-06 Impact factor: 4.105
Authors: Carmen Andreescu; Eric J Lenze; Benoit H Mulsant; Julie Loebach Wetherell; Amy E Begley; Sati Mazumdar; Charles F Reynolds Journal: Depress Anxiety Date: 2009 Impact factor: 6.505