The complexity of treatment-resistant depression: A data-driven approach.

Complex depression Comprehensive description Data-driven Treatment-resistant depression

Journal

Journal of affective disorders
ISSN: 1573-2517
Titre abrégé: J Affect Disord
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 7906073

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
30 Apr 2024
Historique:
received: 20 11 2023
revised: 27 03 2024
accepted: 21 04 2024
medline: 3 5 2024
pubmed: 3 5 2024
entrez: 2 5 2024
Statut: aheadofprint

Résumé

Recent systematic reviews highlight great variability in defining and assessing treatment-resistant depression (TRD). A key problem is that definitions are consensus rather than data-led. This study seeks to offer a comprehensive socio-demographic and clinical description of a relevant sample. As part of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial, patients (N = 129) were managed in primary care for persistent depression and diagnosed with TRD. Data included previous treatment attempts, characteristics of the depressive illness, functioning, quality of life, co-occurring problems including suicidality, psychiatric and personality disorders, physical health conditions, and adverse events. Findings show a severe and chronic course of depression with a duration of illness of 25+ years. Overall, 82.9 % had at least one other psychiatric diagnosis and 82.2 % at least one personality disorder; 69.8 % had significant musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, or cardiovascular and respiratory physical health problems. All but 14 had severe difficulties in social and occupational functioning and reported severely impaired quality of life. Suicidal ideation was high: 44.9 % had made at least one serious suicide attempt and several reported multiple attempts with 17.8 % reporting a suicide attempt during childhood or adolescence. Of the patients, 79.8 % reported at least one adverse childhood experience. Potential for recall bias, not examining possible interactions, and absence of a control group. Our findings reveal a complex and multifaceted condition and call for an urgent reconceptualization of TRD, which encompasses many interdependent variables and experiences. Individuals with TRD may be at a serious disadvantage in terms of receiving adequate treatment.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Recent systematic reviews highlight great variability in defining and assessing treatment-resistant depression (TRD). A key problem is that definitions are consensus rather than data-led. This study seeks to offer a comprehensive socio-demographic and clinical description of a relevant sample.
METHODS METHODS
As part of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial, patients (N = 129) were managed in primary care for persistent depression and diagnosed with TRD. Data included previous treatment attempts, characteristics of the depressive illness, functioning, quality of life, co-occurring problems including suicidality, psychiatric and personality disorders, physical health conditions, and adverse events.
RESULTS RESULTS
Findings show a severe and chronic course of depression with a duration of illness of 25+ years. Overall, 82.9 % had at least one other psychiatric diagnosis and 82.2 % at least one personality disorder; 69.8 % had significant musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, or cardiovascular and respiratory physical health problems. All but 14 had severe difficulties in social and occupational functioning and reported severely impaired quality of life. Suicidal ideation was high: 44.9 % had made at least one serious suicide attempt and several reported multiple attempts with 17.8 % reporting a suicide attempt during childhood or adolescence. Of the patients, 79.8 % reported at least one adverse childhood experience.
LIMITATIONS CONCLUSIONS
Potential for recall bias, not examining possible interactions, and absence of a control group.
CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS
Our findings reveal a complex and multifaceted condition and call for an urgent reconceptualization of TRD, which encompasses many interdependent variables and experiences. Individuals with TRD may be at a serious disadvantage in terms of receiving adequate treatment.

Identifiants

pubmed: 38697222
pii: S0165-0327(24)00704-3
doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.04.093
pii:
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Declaration of competing interest There are no financial conflicts of interest.

Auteurs

Felicitas Rost (F)

Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; The Open University, School of Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Milton Keynes, UK. Electronic address: felicitas.rost@open.ac.uk.

Thomas Booker (T)

Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK.

Aneliya Gonsard (A)

Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

Giulio de Felice (G)

Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

Lorena Asseburg (L)

Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

Javier Malda-Castillo (J)

Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

Iakovina Koutoufa (I)

Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

Hannah Ridsdale (H)

Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

Rebecca Johnson (R)

Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

David Taylor (D)

Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

Peter Fonagy (P)

Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, UK.

Classifications MeSH