Depression 31 May, 2017 Read Time: 1 min

Outcomes of treatment

Functional outcomes as a marker of treatment success

Depression can have a significant impact on patients’ daily lives, whether before, during, or after treatment. In one analysis from the STAR*D trial, quality of life (QoL) was assessed using the QoL Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q):1

  • Before treatment, just 3% of patients with depression experienced a QoL that was deemed ‘normal’
  • Up to 60% of patients thought to be in remission following treatment continued to experience a reduced QoL

The impact of antidepressant therapy on a patient’s quality of life is an important consideration when determining treatment success.2

References

  1. Ishak WW et al. Quality of life in major depressive disorder before/after multiple steps of treatment and one-year follow-up. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2015; 131(1): 51-60.
  2. Greer TL et al. Defining and measuring functional recovery from depression. CNS Drugs 2010; 24(4): 267-284.
  3. Zimmerman M et al. Why do some depressed outpatients who are in remission according to the Hamilton depression rating scale not consider themselves to be in remission? J Clin Psychiatry 2012; 73(6): 790-795
  4. Battle CL et al. Treatment goals of depressed outpatients: a qualitative investigation of goals identified by participants in a depression treatment trial. J Psychiatr Pract 2010; 16(6): 425-430.
  5. Culpepper L. Cognition in MDD: implications for primary care. In: Cognitive Dysfunction in Major Depressive Disorder. Ed: McIntyre R, Cha D, 2015.

Categories

  • Depression