Clinical and sociodemographic predictors of response to augmentation, or dose increase among depressed outpatients resistant to fluoxetine 20 mg/day.
OBJECTIVE
Patients with major depressive disorder often show only partial or no response to antidepressants, necessitating next-step interventions such as dose increase or augmentation. Factors moderating response to these next-step interventions are not well-studied.


METHODS
In this randomized, double-blind investigation of next-step treatments in 101 outpatients who failed to respond to fluoxetine 20 mg for 8 weeks, the impact of depressive course and sociodemographic factors on likelihood of treatment response following dose increase or lithium or desipramine augmentation was examined.


RESULTS
After controlling for depression severity at baseline, current marriage and earlier onset of depression were associated with greater likelihood of response in a logistic regression. Intervention strategy was not predictive of response.


CONCLUSIONS
Marital status and earlier onset of depression may be clinically useful in predicting outcome following any next-step intervention for treatment resistance, rather than with particular strategies.
Perlis
R H
RH
Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, WACC 812, 15 Parkman Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA. rperlis@partners.org
Alpert
J
J
Nierenberg
A A
AA
Mischoulon
D
D
Yeung
A
A
Rosenbaum
J F
JF
Fava
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003710:Demography; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003891:Desipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D003891:Desipramine; D005473:Fluoxetine; D008094:Lithium; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors