title: Treatment and outcomes for patients with depression who are partial responders to SSRI treatment: post-hoc analysis findings from the FINDER European observational study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Remission is the goal in depression, but in practice many patients only experience a partial response to treatment. We sought to determine the prevalence, management and subsequent outcomes of partial responder patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients enrolled in the naturalistic Factors Influencing Depression Endpoints Research (FINDER) study with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale depression subscale (HADS-D) score >10 at baseline who received only SSRI(s) between 0 and 3 months comprised the study cohort (n=1147). Patients were categorized as remitters, partial responders or non-responders at 3 months and then followed up at 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 3 months, 29.4% of the study population were considered non-responders, 27.6% were partial responders, and 39.3% were remitters. Most partial responders at 3 months remained on the same SSRI for the next 3 months. Of the 247 partial responders at 3 months and remained on the same SSRI(s) between 3 and 6 months, 10.9% met criteria for non-response at 6 months, 32.4% remained partial responders, and 56.3% achieved remission. Quality of life outcomes for the partial responders were significantly worse than those in remission (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FINDER was an observational study; the current analysis was conducted post-hoc. Multivariable methods were not applied and findings are primarily descriptive and exploratory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Partial response is common and patients in partial response have a poorer quality of life than those achieving remission. Despite this, the majority of partial responders continue to take the same SSRI. Our findings underscore the importance of continuing to strive for remission.
authors.affiliation: Eli Lilly & Company, Basingstoke, UK. Electronic address: Lenox-smith_alan@lilly.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lenox-Smith
authors.affiliation: Eli Lilly & Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: Eli Lilly & Company, Erl Wood, UK.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Perahia
authors.affiliation: Eli Lilly & Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Dowsett
authors.affiliation: Eli Lilly & Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Dennehy
authors.affiliation: Eli Lilly and Company, Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lopez-Romero
authors.affiliation: Section of Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Center KuLeuven-Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Demyttenaere
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
keywords: Depression; Observational study; Partial response; Remission