Early reduction in prefrontal theta QEEG cordance value predicts response to venlafaxine treatment in patients with resistant depressive disorder.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies of patients with unipolar depression have shown that early decrease of prefrontal EEG cordance in theta band can predict clinical response to various antidepressants. We have now examined whether decrease of prefrontal quantitative EEG (QEEG) cordance value after 1 week of venlafaxine treatment predicts clinical response to venlafaxine in resistant patients.


METHODS
We analyzed 25 inpatients who finished 4-week venlafaxine treatment. EEG data were monitored at baseline and after 1 week of treatment. QEEG cordance was computed at three frontal electrodes in theta frequency band. Depressive symptoms and clinical status were assessed using Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Beck Depression Inventory-Short Form (BDI-S) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI).


RESULTS
Eleven of 12 responders (reduction of MADRS >or=50%) and only 5 of 13 non-responders had decreased prefrontal QEEG cordance value after the first week of treatment (p=0.01). The decrease of prefrontal cordance after week 1 in responders was significant (p=0.03) and there was no significant change in non-responders. Positive and negative predictive values of cordance reduction for response were 0.7 and 0.9, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The reduction of prefrontal theta QEEG cordance value after first week of treatment might be helpful in the prediction of response to venlafaxine.
Bares
Martin
M
Prague Psychiatric Centre, Ustavni 91, 181 03 Prague 8, Bohnice, Czech Republic. bares@pcp.lf3.cuni.cz
Brunovsky
Martin
M
Kopecek
Miloslav
M
Novak
Tomas
T
Stopkova
Pavla
P
Kozeny
Jiri
J
Sos
Peter
P
Krajca
Vladimir
V
Höschl
Cyril
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003511:Cyclohexanols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013826:Theta Rhythm; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride
D003511:Cyclohexanols; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D000069470:Venlafaxine Hydrochloride