title: The course of depressive symptoms and prescribing patterns of antidepressants in schizophrenia in a one-year follow-up study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Antidepressants are frequently prescribed in patients with psychotic disorders, but little is known about their effects in routine clinical practice. The objective was to investigate the prescribing patterns of antidepressants in relation to the course of depressive symptoms in patients with psychotic disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cohort of 214 Dutch patients with psychotic disorders received two assessments of somatic and psychiatric health, including a clinician-rated screening for depressive symptoms, as part of annual routine outcome monitoring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Depressive symptoms were prevalent among 43% (93) of the patients. Antidepressants were prescribed for 40% (86) of the patients and the majority 83% (71) continued this therapy after one year. Multivariable analysis showed that patients with more severe psychopathology had a higher risk to develop depressive symptoms the following year (OR [95% CI]=0.953 [0.912-0.995]). For patients with depressive symptoms at baseline, polypharmacy was a potential risk factor to keep having depressive symptoms (OR [95% CI]=1.593 [1.123-2.261]). Antidepressant use was not an independent predictor in both analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Routine outcome monitoring in patients with psychotic disorders revealed a high prevalence of depressive symptoms. Antidepressants were frequently prescribed and continued in routine clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Rob Giel Research Center (RGOc), Department of Psychiatry (UCP), University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Lako
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taxis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bruggeman
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Knegtering
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Burger
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wiersma
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Slooff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012307:Risk Factors; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents