Prediction of response to fluoxetine and placebo in children and adolescents with major depression: a hypothesis generating study.
BACKGROUND
The results of multivariate analyses to identify potential predictors of response to fluoxetine or placebo separately in 96 child and adolescent outpatients with major depressive disorder from a recent controlled trial are presented.


METHODS
A variety of clinical, demographic and laboratory factors were examined as possible predictors of response to fluoxetine or placebo using logistic regression models.


RESULTS
No single variable or combination of variables strongly predicted response to fluoxetine. For the placebo group, a younger age, a shorter duration of depressive episode, and a lower socioeconomic status predicted response with an overall predictive power of 81%.


CONCLUSIONS
This study is limited by the small sample size and should be considered hypothesis generating rather than confirming.
Kowatch
R A
RA
Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas 75235-9070, USA. kowatch@utsw.swmed.edu
Carmody
T J
TJ
Emslie
G J
GJ
Rintelmann
J W
JW
Hughes
C W
CW
Rush
A J
AJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012923:Social Class
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D005473:Fluoxetine