Interpersonal improvement in chronically depressed patients treated with desipramine.
OBJECTIVE
Interpersonal difficulties of dysthymic patients are little studied. We used the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP) to assess baseline status and medication response in chronic depression.


METHODS
39 chronically depressed subjects answered the IIP at entry and after 10 weeks of desipramine (DMI). Seventeen DMI responders completed IIPs after a 16-week continuation phase.


RESULTS
Mean scores improved on all six IIP subscales during acute treatment. Continuation phase IIP improved non-significantly, approaching normative scores. Baseline IIP score correlated inversely with treatment outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings replicate in greater interpersonal detail research demonstrating rapid social amelioration in chronically depressed responders to antidepressant medication. The IIP may be useful as a predictive and interpersonal sensitivity measure in treatment studies of chronic depression.
Markowitz
J C
JC
Cornell University Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Friedman
R A
RA
Miller
N
N
Spielman
L A
LA
Moran
M E
ME
Kocsis
J H
JH
D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003891:Desipramine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D003891:Desipramine