title: Treatment of depression improves adherence to interferon beta-1b therapy for multiple sclerosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relationship between patient-reported depression and adherence to therapy with interferon beta-1b (IFN beta-1b) and to test the hypothesis that treatment of depression is associated with improved adherence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with multiple sclerosis were followed up 6 months after initiating therapy with IFN beta-1b.
  
  
  METHODS
  A university outpatient multiple sclerosis center, an academic group practice, and a health maintenance organization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-five patients with clinically evident multiple sclerosis taking IFN beta-1b.
  
  
  METHODS
  Follow-up questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-five (41%) of the 85 patients reported new or increased depression within 6 months of initiating therapy with IFN beta-1b. Patients experiencing symptoms of depression were more likely to discontinue therapy. Among the patients reporting new or increased depression, 86% who received psychotherapy or antidepressant medication and 38% of the patients who received no therapy for depression continued the IFN beta-1b therapy (P = .003). Although psychotherapy was used as a treatment option more frequently in university and academic group practice-based multiple sclerosis clinics than in the health maintenance organization (P = .02), the treatment adherence patterns were similar across sites.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings support previous findings that patients report increased depression after initiating therapy with IFN beta-1b. Although the source of this depression is unclear, these findings suggest that treating patient-reported depression increases adherence to treatment.
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Mohr
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Goodkin
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Likosky
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gatto
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rudick
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D000068576:Interferon beta-1b; D016899:Interferon-beta; D000068556:Interferon beta-1a