Clustering and drivers of symptoms observed at week six after antidepressant treatment in depressed outpatients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Depressive symptoms remaining after antidepressant treatment increase the risk of relapse and recurrence. We aimed to analyze the distribution and main drivers of remaining symptoms in patients with a major depressive episode.

Methods

Two independent samples of 8,229 and 5,926 patients from two large naturalistic studies were retrospectively analyzed. DSM-IV criteria for major depressive episodes were assessed during two face-to-face visits with clinicians: before the prescription of a new antidepressant, and after 6 weeks of treatment. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to assess baseline severity of anxiety and depression.

Results

In both samples, two clusters of remaining symptoms were observed. The first cluster encompassed sympto

SUBMITTER: Danon M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11795446 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature