Clinical validity of a population database definition of remission in patients with major depression

Creation and validation of a linear index to measure the health state of patients with depression in automated healthcare databases

Background and objective: We previously built a weighted Depressive Health State Index (DHSI) based on 29 parameters routinely collected in an automated healthcare database (AHDB). We now propose a linear DHSI (L-DHSI) which is easier to use and to replicate across AHDBs. Methods: A historical cohort of patients with ≥1 episode of depression was identified in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). The DHSI was calculated for each treated episode of depression. Validation was performed by using validated definitions of remission (proxy and Patient Health Questionnaire 9 or PHQ-9) and comparing the L-DHSI between subgroups. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Results: Between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2012, 309,279 episodes of depression were identified in the CPRD. Remission was observed in 5% of the patients with lowest L-DHSI scores and in 78% of the patients with highest L-DHSI scores. Although less sensitive than the weighted DHSI, the L-DHSI was reliable and relatively easy of use. The L-DHSI was highly correlated to the weighted DHSI (Spearman coefficient 0.790, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The L-DHSI represents a good balance between reliability, usability, and reproducibility. In addition, the linearity of this index allows for an easier interpretation than the original weighted DHSI.

Results and validation of an index to measure health state of patients with depression in automated healthcare databases

Background and objective: A Depressive Health State Index (DHSI) based on 29 parameters routinely collected in an automated healthcare database (AHDB) was developed to evaluate the health state of depressive patients, and its evolution. The study objective was to describe and validate this DHSI. Methods: A historical cohort of patients with at least one episode of depression was identified in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). The DHSI was calculated for each episode of depression. Validation was performed by comparing the DHSI between subgroups and using validated definitions of remission (proxy and PHQ-9). Robustness was studied by assessing the impact of modifying parameters of the DHSI. Results: 309,279 episodes of depression were identified in the CPRD between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2012. Remission was observed in 8% of the patients showing the lower DHSI scores and in 88% of the patients showing the higher DHSI scores. The DHSI was robust to a modification of the most frequent variables and to the removal of rare parameters. Conclusion: The DHSI is specific to depression severity (with remission rates in accordance with the expected variations of the DHSI) and robust. It represents a promising tool for the analysis of AHDBs.

Creating an index to measure health state of depressed patients in automated healthcare databases: the methodology

Background and objective: Automated healthcare databases (AHDB) are an important data source for real life drug and healthcare use. In the filed of depression, lack of detailed clinical data requires the use of binary proxies with important limitations. The study objective was to create a Depressive Health State Index (DHSI) as a continuous health state measure for depressed patients using available data in an AHDB. Methods: The study was based on historical cohort design using the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). Depressive episodes (depression diagnosis with an antidepressant prescription) were used to create the DHSI through 6 successive steps: (1) Defining study design; (2) Identifying constituent parameters; (3) Assigning relative weights to the parameters; (4) Ranking based on the presence of parameters; (5) Standardizing the rank of the DHSI; (6) Developing a regression model to derive the DHSI in any other sample. Results: The DHSI ranged from 0 (worst) to 100 (best health state) comprising 29 parameters. The proportion of depressive episodes with a remission proxy increased with DHSI quartiles. Conclusion: A continuous outcome for depressed patients treated by antidepressants was created in an AHDB using several different variables and allowed more granularity than currently used proxies.

Pharmacotherapeutic strategies for patients treated for depression in UK primary care: a database analysis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate long-term patterns of antidepressant treatment in patients in primary care in the UK, and to assess their healthcare resource use and disease outcomes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A retrospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. The study population comprised patients aged ≥18 years with depression receiving a prescription for antidepressant monotherapy between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2011 with no antidepressants within the preceding 6 months. Recovery was defined by timing of antidepressant prescriptions (≥6 months without treatment). Treatment lines and strategies (switching, combining, augmenting and resuming medication) were analyzed. Healthcare resource use for the different treatment strategies and periods of no therapy was assessed.

RESULTS

Data from 123,662 patients (287,564 treatment lines) were analyzed. Switching and resumption of treatment were more frequent than other strategies. Recovery was highest with first-line monotherapy (45% of patients), while as a second-line strategy switching was more successful (43%) than combination or augmentation. In subsequent lines of treatment, switching was associated with successively lower rates of recovery (31% in the third line and 24% from the fourth line onwards). Similar rates were observed for resumption. Healthcare resource use was greater during antidepressant use than treatment-free periods. Augmentation was associated with the highest proportions of patients with a psychiatrist referral, psychologist referral and psychiatric hospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides extensive real-world information on the prescribing patterns and treatment outcomes for a large cohort of patients treated for depression with antidepressants in primary care. Switching is more frequently used than augmentation or combination treatment, with decreasing effectiveness across successive lines. Key limitations of the study were: (i) risk of selection bias due to the use of inclusion criteria based on depression diagnoses recorded by the practitioner; and (ii) reliance on prescribing patterns as proxies for clinical outcomes, such as recovery.

Depression and pain: an appraisal of cost effectiveness and cost utility of antidepressants

BACKGROUND

Although depression and chronic pain frequently co-occur, there is a lack of clarity in the literature regarding the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of antidepressants in the presence of these two conditions. From the perspective of healthcare provider, the current study aims to compare the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of antidepressants in a national cohort of depressed patients with and without comorbid pain conditions.

METHODS

Adult patients prescribed with antidepressants for depression were identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan (n=96,501). By using remission as effectiveness measure and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) as utility measure, the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility were compared across selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), as well as by the presence of comorbid painful physical symptoms (PPS).

RESULTS

SSRIs dominated SNRIs in both the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility regardless of comorbid PPS. In comparison with TCAs, SSRIs were likely to be the cost-effective option for patients without PPS. In patients with PPS, the cost-utility advantage for SSRIs over TCAs varied with threshold willingness-to-pay levels. Comorbid PPS may be considered an effect modifier of the cost-utility comparisons between SSRIs and TCAs.

CONCLUSIONS

For depressed patients without PPS, SSRIs are likely to be cost-effective in improving remission rates and QALYs compared to TCAs and SNRIs. However, to improve cost-utility in those with comorbid PPS, people need to choose between SSRIs and TCAs according to threshold willingness-to-pay levels. Future research is warranted to clarify the impacts of different pain conditions on the economic evaluations of pharmacological treatments in patients with depression.

Pharmacological treatment of depression with and without headache disorders: an appraisal of cost effectiveness and cost utility of antidepressants

BACKGROUND

Depression and headache are highly prevalent in clinical settings. The co-occurrence of headache may impact choice of antidepressants, healthcare utilisation, and outcomes in patients with depression. The current study aims to examine the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of different antidepressants for treating patients with depression and comorbid headache disorders.

METHODS

Adult patients prescribed with antidepressants for depression (n=96,501) were identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. A cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analysis was conducted comparing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and by the presence of comorbid headache disorders and other pain conditions.

RESULTS

In this study, SSRIs dominated SNRIs in both cost-effectiveness and cost-utility. As revealed in the cost-effectiveness acceptability curves, TCAs were likely to have a cost-utility advantage compared to SSRIs and SNRIs in improving quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) for patients with comorbid headache; SSRIs remained as the most cost-effective option for patients with other pain conditions.

LIMITATIONS

Limitations include the use of proxy definition of remission as effectiveness measure and the adoption of utility values from previous studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Given a pre-determined willingness-to-pay level, TCAs can be considered as a cost-effective option to improve QALYs for depressed patients with headache disorders. Future research is needed to further clarify factors influencing the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of pharmacological treatments in depressed patients with specific pain conditions.

Cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, and tricyclic antidepressants in depression with comorbid cardiovascular disease

OBJECTIVE

There is a lack of clarity in the literature regarding the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of antidepressants for treating real-world patients. The impact of comorbid cardiovascular disease (CVD) on the economic evaluations of antidepressants remains to be determined.

METHOD

Adult patients prescribed with antidepressants for depression were identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. A cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analysis was conducted comparing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and by the presence of comorbid CVD.

RESULTS

In terms of treatment success rates, SSRIs were the most cost-effective option compared to TCAs and SNRIs as revealed in the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. The cost-effectiveness acceptability curves further showed differential findings in the cost-utility results by the presence of comorbid CVD.

CONCLUSION

To improve treatment success rates and quality-adjusted life years, SSRIs can be considered the most cost-effective option. Future research is needed to further clarify the impacts of physical comorbidities and other associated factors on the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of pharmacological treatments in patients with depression.

Impact of initial treatment outcome on long-term costs of depression: a 3-year nationwide follow-up study in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

The impact of initial treatment outcome on long-term healthcare costs in depression remains to be determined. We aimed to identify demographic and clinical characteristics associated with initial treatment outcomes and to test whether and how these outcomes influence total healthcare costs over the subsequent 3 years.

METHOD

In this secondary analysis of a large healthcare database, a national cohort of adult patients (n = 126,471) who received antidepressant treatment for depression was identified and factors associated with initial outcomes were examined. Potential predictors of total healthcare costs in the subsequent years were assessed using generalized linear modeling, with a particular focus on initial outcome status after antidepressant treatment and co-morbidities.

RESULTS

Depression type and co-morbid painful physical symptoms (PPS) or mental illnesses were found to be associated with initial outcome status. Having sustained treatment-free status after initial treatment was shown to be associated with a 22-33% reduction in total healthcare costs in the second and third years (compared to those with late recontacts). Although the presence of co-morbid PPS was associated with higher healthcare costs, having certain co-morbid anxiety disorders was associated with lower costs over the 3 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Initial outcome status after antidepressant treatment has a sustained impact on individuals' total healthcare costs over the following 3 years. Future efforts to improve initial treatment outcome of depression are warranted.

Telephone depression care management for Latino Medicaid health plan members: a pilot randomized controlled trial

The objective of this pilot study was to provide a preliminary test of feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of telephone depression care management among Latino Medicaid health plan members. Thirty-eight depressed primary care patients were enrolled in a pilot randomized trial of telephone depression care management + treatment as usual (TAU) versus TAU only. Bilingual care managers conducted care management for 3 months following an antidepressant prescription. For 1 year, research staff attempted to contact 929 potentially eligible members and enrolled 38. Qualitative analyses suggested that, of the participants we interviewed, most expressed satisfaction with the program. Participants suggested ways to improve recruitment, such as face-to-face contact. When compared with the group receiving TAU, there was a trend for the intervention group to experience less depression in time. This pilot study suggests that this program may be promising; however, there is need to investigate ways to better reach those who might find the program helpful.

Comparison of escitalopram vs. citalopram and venlafaxine in the treatment of major depression in Spain: clinical and economic consequences

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Population based study to determine the clinical consequences and economic impact of using escitalopram (ESC) vs. citalopram (CIT) and venlafaxine (VEN) in patients who initiate treatment for a new episode of major depression (MD) in real life conditions of outpatient practice.

METHODS

Observational, multicenter, retrospective study conducted using computerized medical records (administrative databases) of patients treated in six primary care centers and two hospitals between January 2003 and March 2007.

STUDY POPULATION

patients >20 years of age diagnosed with a new episode of MD who initiate treatment with ESC, CIT or VEN who had not received any antidepressant treatment within the previous 6 months, and were followed for 18 months or more.

MAIN VARIABLES

socio-demographic variables, remission (defined as a patient completing 6 months of therapy), comorbidity, annual health care costs (medical visits, diagnostic and therapeutic tests, hospitalizations, emergency room and psychoactive drugs prescribed) and non-health care costs (productivity losses at work, mainly sick leave and disability).

STATISTICAL ANALYSES

logistic regression and ANCOVA models.

RESULTS

A total of 965 patients (ESC = 131; CIT = 491; VEN = 343) were identified and met study criteria. ESC-treated patients were younger, with a higher proportion of males, and had a lower specific comorbidity (p < 0.01). ESC-treated patients achieved higher remission rates compared to CIT (58.0% vs. 38.3%) or VEN patients (32.4%), p < 0.001, and had lower productivity work losses compared to VEN patients (32.7 vs. 43.8 days), p = 0.042. No differences in productivity work losses were observed between ESC and CIT patients. Compared to the ESC group, higher costs in average/unit of psychoactive drugs were found in the VEN group (€643.00), p = 0.003, whereas no differences were observed between the ESC and CIT groups (€294.70 vs. €265.20). In the corrected model, total costs (health care and non-health care cost) were lower with ESC (€2276.20) compared to CIT (€3093.80), p = 0.047 and VEN (€3801.20), p = 0.045.

CONCLUSIONS

ESC appears to be dominant in the treatment of new MD episodes when compared to CIT and VEN, resulting in higher remission rates and lower total costs.