No predictors of antidepressant patient response to milnacipran were obtained using the three-factor structures of the Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale in Japanese patients with major depressive disorders

Pre-treatment factor structures of the Montgomery and Åsberg Depression Rating scale as predictors of response to escitalopram in Indian patients with non-psychotic major depressive disorder

BACKGROUND

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a broad heterogeneous construct resolving into several symptom-clusters by factor analysis. The aim was to find the factor structures of MDD as per Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and whether they predict escitalopram response.

METHODS

In a longitudinal study at a tertiary institute in north India, 116 adult out-patients with non-psychotic unipolar MDD were assessed with MADRS before and after treatment with escitalopram (10-20mg) over 6-8 weeks for drug response.

RESULTS

For total 116 patients pre-treatment four factor structures of MADRS extracted by principal component analysis with varimax rotation altogether explained a variance of 57%: first factor 'detachment' (concentration difficulty, lassitude, inability to feel); second factor 'psychic anxiety' (suicidal thoughts and inner tension); third 'mood-pessimism' (apparent sadness, reported sadness, pessimistic thoughts) and fourth 'vegetative' (decreased sleep, appetite). Eighty patients (68.9%) who completed the study had mean age 35.37±10.9 yrs, majority were male (57.5%), with mean pre-treatment MADRS score 28.77±5.18 and majority (65%) having moderate severity (MADRS <30). Among them 56 (70%) responded to escitalopram. At the end of the treatment there were significant changes in all the 4 factor structures (p<0.01). Vegetative function was an important predictor of response (p<0.01, odd's ratio: 1.3 [1.1-1.6] 95% CI). Melancholia significantly predicted non-response (p=0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Non-psychotic unipolar major depression having moderate severity in north Indian patients as per MADRS resolved into four factor-structures all significantly improved with adequate escitalopram treatment. Understanding the factor structure is important as they can be important predictor of escitalopram response.

Identifying predictive clinical characteristics of the treatment efficacy of mirtazapine monotherapy for major depressive disorder

BACKGROUND

Mirtazapine, which is classified as a noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant, is widely prescribed for the treatment of major depressive disorder. The potential predictive factors of the efficacy of mirtazapine and the tolerability based on the incidence of oversedation and jitteriness/anxiety syndrome were evaluated.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with major depressive disorder were retrospectively investigated. Study subjects comprised 68 patients with depression who received mirtazapine as an initial antidepressant at the Department of Psychiatry of the Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital from September 2009 to March 2013. The efficacy of mirtazapine monotherapy was evaluated based on the Clinical Global Impression Improvement score. Clinical characteristics were compared between remission and nonremission groups to determine the factors predicting the efficacy. Moreover, discontinuation rates due to adverse effects, including oversedation and jitteriness/anxiety syndrome, were examined, and the effects of confounding factors were evaluated.

RESULTS

The remission rate of mirtazapine monotherapy was 36.8% among the 68 enrolled subjects. The mean final doses in the remission and nonremission groups were 27.6±13.5 mg and 26.0±14.1 mg, respectively, and there was no significant difference between them. Multiple logistic analyses revealed that the absence of guilt (odds ratio [OR] =0.15; 95% CI [1.66-37.24], P=0.006) and the presence of psychomotor retardation (OR =4.30; 95% CI [1.30-16.60], P=0.016) were significantly related to the efficacy of mirtazapine monotherapy. The discontinuation rates due to oversedation and jitteriness/anxiety syndrome were 13.2% and 11.8%, respectively. Age did not differ significantly between patients with or without oversedation or jitteriness/anxiety syndrome (P=0.078 and P=0.579, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The absence of guilt and the presence of psychomotor retardation may predict the efficacy of mirtazapine, and mirtazapine may be tolerable for all ages.

A cluster model of temperament as an indicator of antidepressant response and symptom severity in major depression

OBJECTIVE

Not enough is known about which patients suffering from major depressive disorder benefit from antidepressant drug treatment. Individual temperament is relatively stable over a person's lifespan and is thought to be largely biologically predefined. We assessed how temperament profiles are related to depression and predict the efficacy of antidepressant treatment.

METHODS

We recruited one hundred Finnish outpatients (aged 19 to 72) suffering from major depressive disorder, of whom 86 completed the 6-week study. We assessed their temperament features with the Temperament and Character Inventory and used cluster analysis to determine the patient's temperament profile. We also categorized the patients according to the vegetative symptoms of major depressive disorder.

RESULTS

There was an association between skewed temperament profile and severity of major depressive disorder, but the temperament profiles alone did not predict antidepressant treatment response. Those with higher baseline vegetative symptoms score had modest treatment response. Our model with baseline Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) vegetative symptoms, age and temperament clusters as explanatory variables explained 20% of the variance in the endpoint MADRS scores.

CONCLUSION

The temperament clusters were associated both with severity of depression and antidepressive treatment response of depression. The effect of the temperament profile alone was modest but, combined with vegetative symptoms of depression, their explanatory power was more marked suggesting that there could be an association of these two in the biological basis of MDD.

Meta-analysis of serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) association with antidepressant efficacy

In the last decade the serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) was likely the most studied genetic variant as predictor of antidepressant response. Nevertheless results are not consistent across studies and previous meta-analysis, since various factors seem to modulate its effect on antidepressant response. With the aim of clarifying this issue, we systematically reviewed literature, selecting 33 studies for an exploratory analysis without any a priori hypothesis. Then we analyzed separately 19 studies performed on Caucasians and 11 on Asians. We tested two phenotypes--remission and response rates--and three genotype comparisons--ll versus ls/ss, ss versus ll/ls and ll versus ss - using the Cochrane review manager. Evaluations were performed separately for SSRIs and mixed/other drugs. Possible clinical modulators were investigated. In the exploratory analysis, we found an association between l allele and l/l genotype and remission. When the analysis was split for ethnic group, in Caucasians we found an association between l allele and both response (OR = 1.58, C.I. 1.16-2.16, p = 0.004), and remission (OR = 1.53, C.I. 1.14-2.04, p = 0.004) in the SSRI group. Only a marginal association between l allele and remission (OR = 1.41, C.I. 1.02-1.95, p = 0.04) survived pooling together mixed antidepressant treatments. In Asians, a small effect of 5-HTTLPR on remission for mixed antidepressants was detected (OR = 2.10, C.I. 1.15-3.84, p = 0.02). Gender, age and age at onset modulated the association in Caucasians. Gender, age and depression severity at baseline modulated the association in Asians. In conclusion, in Caucasians 5-HTTLPR may be a predictor of antidepressant response and remission, while in Asians it does not appear to play a major role.

Psychomotor retardation in depression: biological underpinnings, measurement, and treatment

Psychomotor retardation is a long established component of depression that can have significant clinical and therapeutic implications for treatment. Due to its negative impact on overall function in depressed patients, we review its biological correlates, optimal methods of measurement, and relevance in the context of therapeutic interventions. The aim of the paper is to provide a synthesis of the literature on psychomotor retardation in depression with the goal of enhanced awareness for clinicians and researchers. Increased knowledge and understanding of psychomotor retardation in major depressive disorder may lead to further research and better informed diagnosis in regards to psychomotor retardation. Manifestations of psychomotor retardation include slowed speech, decreased movement, and impaired cognitive function. It is common in patients with melancholic depression and those with psychotic features. Biological correlates may include abnormalities in the basal ganglia and dopaminergic pathways. Neurophysiologic tools such as neuroimaging and transcranial magnetic stimulation may play a role in the study of this symptom in the future. At present, there are three objective scales to evaluate psychomotor retardation severity. Studies examining the impact of psychomotor retardation on clinical outcome have found differential results. However, available evidence suggests that depressed patients with psychomotor retardation may respond well to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Current literature regarding antidepressants is inconclusive, though tricyclic antidepressants may be considered for treatment of patients with psychomotor retardation. Future work examining this objective aspect of major depressive disorder (MDD) is essential. This could further elucidate the biological underpinnings of depression and optimize its treatment.

Common genetic, clinical, demographic and psychosocial predictors of response to pharmacotherapy in mood and anxiety disorders

The aim of this study is to summarize available knowledge about common genetic, clinical, demographic and psychosocial predictors of response to pharmacotherapy in mood and anxiety disorders. A literature search was carried out by using MEDLINE and references of selected articles. The search included articles published up to March 2008. The main genetic finding concerns the serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphisms, the long variant of which seems to be related to a positive response to therapy in mood disorders and could also have a role in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Among other predictors, the main factors common to both classes of disorder are comorbid axis II disorders and early onset of illness, which are related to a worse response to therapy and concomitant good physical conditions, absence of earlier treatments, early administration and response to therapies, and higher self- directedness, which is related to a better outcome. Many common predictors have been identified and these seem to be related to features covering the totality of patients that go beyond specific characteristics of single disorders. Possible limitations and suggestions for future research based on a more integrated vision of human complexity are discussed.