Measuring Depressive Symptoms in the Primary-Care Setting

Introduction

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly prevalent, often chronic medical disorder largely diagnosed and treated in primary-care settings.[1] Currently, MDD is a leading cause of disability globally, and there is increasing evidence that it is an important risk factor for the development of major medical disorders, such as coronary artery disease (CAD).[2] More effective care for depression has been identified as a national health priority in the USA and elsewhere.[3]

The goal of antidepressant therapy is to achieve and sustain full symptomatic remission, prevent relapse and recurrence, and return patients to previous levels of occupation and social functioning.[4] Tacit to these therapeutic objectives is the need to systematically monitor symptomatic progress. Several brief unidimensional rating scales for depression provide good conceptual coverage across the multiple dimensions of depression.[5-10] The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is often employed in primary-care settings,[11] it may, however, not be adequately sensitive (vs. clinician-rated scales) in tracking response to antidepressant treatment.[12]

The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 7 item (HAMD-7) was derived from analyses of a natural practice database at a tertiary-care centre comprised of patients diagnosed with MDD (n = 248) who were non-randomly assigned to open-label, flexible-dose antidepressant treatment.[13] The HAMD-17 items that were endorsed by ≥ 70% of depressed patients, and were most sensitive to change following 8 weeks of antidepressant treatment efficacy formed the constituent items of the HAMD-7. The HAMD-7 scale was subsequently validated in a cross-national primary care study.[10] Despite its psychometric deficiencies, the HAMD-17 was chosen as the gold standard because of its widespread and historical use in psychiatry.[14] The HAMD-7 has a high correlation with the HAMD-17, Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the Clinical Global Impression (CGI).[10]

The objective of this post hoc study was to identify depressive items most frequently endorsed in the primary-care setting, and evaluate their responsiveness to antidepressant treatment. The encompassing aim was to compare these items with the previously identified depressive items of the HAMD-7.  Printer- Friendly Email This

Int J Clin Pract.  2007;61(8):1278-1282.  ©2007 Blackwell Publishing
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