title: Epidemiology of pharmaceutically treated depression and treatment resistant depression in Taiwan.
abstract: Epidemiologic data on treatment resistant depression (TRD) in Asia-Pacific countries are limited. We estimated the incidence of TRD in Taiwan using a cohort of 704,265 adults randomly sampled from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research database for 2005. TRD was defined as a patient having pharmaceutically treated depression (PTD) not adequately responding to 2 antidepressant (AD) regimens, i.e., AD regimens that were followed by other AD regimens. Among 2751 PTD subjects, 576 (20.94%, 95% CI: 19.46, 22.49) developed TRD, a proportion similar to that in North American studies. TRD incidence was 0.82 (95% CI: 0.75, 0.89) cases /1000 population in 2005, increased with age, and was higher in females than in males. SSRI's were the most frequently used ADs. Augmentation with antipsychotics was common. The median time from PTD onset (first AD medication) to TRD onset was 416 days but psychiatrists practicing in Taiwan indicated they would switch within <=3 months if an AD medication was not effective. We therefore repeated the analysis with a 6 months cap on time from onset of PTD to TRD. In this supplemental, post-hoc, analysis, 68 PTD subjects, 2.47%, (95% CI: 1.94, 3.10) developed TRD; i.e., 0.10 (95% CI: 0.08, 0.12) incident cases/1000 population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Janssen Pharmaceutical Research and Development, LLC, 1125 Trenton-Harbourton Road, Titusville, NJ 08560, USA. Electronic address: DFife@its.jnj.com.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fife
authors.affiliation: Janssen (China) Research and Development Center, a division of Johnson & Johnson (China) investment, Ltd, Jian Guo Lu, Beijing 100025, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: yfeng23@its.jnj.com.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Buddhist Tzu-Chi General Hospital, Taipei Branch, New Taipei City, Taiwan. Electronic address: pasadenak@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Michael Yao-Hsien
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Science, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa 1st Road, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan. Electronic address: cjchang@mail.cgu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Chee-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 5 Fu-Shin Street, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan 33305, Taiwan. Electronic address: liucy752@adm.cgmh.com.tw.
authors.forename: Chia-Yih
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Biostatistical Center for Clinical Research, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 5 Fu-Shin Street, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yun 33305, Taiwan. Electronic address: jdsting01@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Hsiao-Ting
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Juang
authors.affiliation: Elysia Group, Ltd., Xiamen St., Lane 113, No. 17-1, Floor 2, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: wes.furnback@elysiagroup.com.
authors.forename: Wesley
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Furnback
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research, Janssen Pharmaceutical Research and Development, LLC 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, CA 92121, USA. Electronic address: jsingh25@its.com.
authors.forename: Jaskaran
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Elysia Group, Ltd., Xiamen St., Lane 113, No. 17-1, Floor 2, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: bruce.wang@elysiagroup.com.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D061218:Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
keywords: Incidence; Major depressive disorder; Prevalence; Treatment resistant depression, antidepressant medication