A Lenox-Smith1, J M Martinez2, D Perahia3, S A Dowsett2, E B Dennehy4, P Lopez-Romero5, K Demyttenaere6. 1. Eli Lilly & Company, Basingstoke, UK. Electronic address: Lenox-smith_alan@lilly.com. 2. Eli Lilly & Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA. 3. Eli Lilly & Company, Erl Wood, UK. 4. Eli Lilly & Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA. 5. Eli Lilly and Company, Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain. 6. Section of Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Center KuLeuven-Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Remission is the goal in depression, but in practice many patients only experience a partial response to treatment. We sought to determine the prevalence, management and subsequent outcomes of partial responder patients. METHODS: Patients enrolled in the naturalistic Factors Influencing Depression Endpoints Research (FINDER) study with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale depression subscale (HADS-D) score >10 at baseline who received only SSRI(s) between 0 and 3 months comprised the study cohort (n=1147). Patients were categorized as remitters, partial responders or non-responders at 3 months and then followed up at 6 months. RESULTS: At 3 months, 29.4% of the study population were considered non-responders, 27.6% were partial responders, and 39.3% were remitters. Most partial responders at 3 months remained on the same SSRI for the next 3 months. Of the 247 partial responders at 3 months and remained on the same SSRI(s) between 3 and 6 months, 10.9% met criteria for non-response at 6 months, 32.4% remained partial responders, and 56.3% achieved remission. Quality of life outcomes for the partial responders were significantly worse than those in remission (p<0.05). LIMITATIONS: FINDER was an observational study; the current analysis was conducted post-hoc. Multivariable methods were not applied and findings are primarily descriptive and exploratory. CONCLUSIONS: Partial response is common and patients in partial response have a poorer quality of life than those achieving remission. Despite this, the majority of partial responders continue to take the same SSRI. Our findings underscore the importance of continuing to strive for remission.
BACKGROUND: Remission is the goal in depression, but in practice many patients only experience a partial response to treatment. We sought to determine the prevalence, management and subsequent outcomes of partial responder patients. METHODS:Patients enrolled in the naturalistic Factors Influencing Depression Endpoints Research (FINDER) study with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale depression subscale (HADS-D) score >10 at baseline who received only SSRI(s) between 0 and 3 months comprised the study cohort (n=1147). Patients were categorized as remitters, partial responders or non-responders at 3 months and then followed up at 6 months. RESULTS: At 3 months, 29.4% of the study population were considered non-responders, 27.6% were partial responders, and 39.3% were remitters. Most partial responders at 3 months remained on the same SSRI for the next 3 months. Of the 247 partial responders at 3 months and remained on the same SSRI(s) between 3 and 6 months, 10.9% met criteria for non-response at 6 months, 32.4% remained partial responders, and 56.3% achieved remission. Quality of life outcomes for the partial responders were significantly worse than those in remission (p<0.05). LIMITATIONS: FINDER was an observational study; the current analysis was conducted post-hoc. Multivariable methods were not applied and findings are primarily descriptive and exploratory. CONCLUSIONS: Partial response is common and patients in partial response have a poorer quality of life than those achieving remission. Despite this, the majority of partial responders continue to take the same SSRI. Our findings underscore the importance of continuing to strive for remission.
Authors: Claudi Bockting; Amanda M Legemaat; Johanne G J van der Stappen; Gert J Geurtsen; Maria Semkovska; Huibert Burger; Isidoor O Bergfeld; Nicoline Lous; Damiaan A J P Denys; Marlies Brouwer Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2022-06-23 Impact factor: 3.006