Spontaneous treatment discontinuation in panic disorder patients treated with antidepressants.
OBJECTIVE
We examined the relationships between long-term treatment response, side-effects and drug discontinuation in panic disorder (PD)-agoraphobia.


METHODS
A total of 326 patients were naturalistically treated with antidepressants and followed for a period of 3 years. All patients were evaluated by means of the Panic Disorder/Agoraphobia Interview and the Longitudinal Interview Follow-up Examination (LIFE-UP).


RESULTS
A total of 179 patients interrupted pharmacological treatment. Among them, 26.8% were not traceable; 36.9% had deemed further contact with the psychiatrist unnecessary because of remission. Other reasons for interruption were: ineffectiveness (18.4%), side-effects (10.6%) and personal reasons (7.3%). Patients who interrupted pharmacological treatment because of symptom remission remained in the study for a longer period than those patients who interrupted their treatment because of inefficacy.


CONCLUSIONS
In the long-term treatment of PD with antidepressants, a high percentage of patients who have achieved symptom remission tend to default from further treatment; adherence to long-term treatment with antidepressants was predicted by severe and long-lasting symptomatology.
Toni
C
C
Institute of Behavioral Sciences 'G. De Lisio', Carrara MS, Italy.
Perugi
G
G
Frare
F
F
Mata
B
B
Akiskal
H S
HS
D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000928:Antidepressive Agents