Maintenance pharmacotherapy for recurrent major depressive disorder: 5-year follow-up study.
Practice guidelines endorse maintenance antidepressant treatment for recurrent major depressive disorder. In the Vantaa Depression Study, we followed 218 psychiatric patients with major depressive disorder for up to 5 years with a life-chart. Of these patients, 86 (39.4%) had more than three lifetime episodes and an indication for maintenance pharmacotherapy. However, of these, only 57% received treatment and only for 16% of the time indicated. Good adherence to pharmacotherapy in the acute phase independently predicted maintenance treatment. The tertiary preventive impact of maintenance treatment may remain limited, as many patients with major depressive disorder either do not receive it, or receive it for too short a period.
Holma
Irina A K
IA
Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland.
Holma
K Mikael
KM
Melartin
Tarja K
TK
Isometsä
Erkki T
ET
D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005387:Finland; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000928:Antidepressive Agents