Effects of pharmaceutical promotion on adherence to the treatment guidelines for depression

OBJECTIVES: We sought to examine the impact of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) and pharmaceutical promotion to physicians on the likelihood that (1) an individual diagnosed with depression received antidepressant medication and that (2) antidepressant medication was used for the appropriate duration. RESEARCH DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: A quasiexperimental design was used to examine treatment patterns of 30,621 depressed individuals whose insurance claims were included in the MarketScan database from 1997 through 2000. The main explanatory variables were spending on DTCA, detailing to physicians, and free samples for 6 antidepressant medications. RESULTS: Individuals diagnosed with depression during periods when class-level antidepressant DTCA spending was highest (cumulative spending more than US 18.5 million dollars) had 32% higher relative odds of initiating medication therapy compared with those diagnosed during periods when DTCA spending was lowest (P < 0.0001). Free samples of medications dispensed to physicians had no effect on odds of initiating antidepressant use. Class-level DTCA spending on antidepressants had a small positive effect on the duration of antidepressant use, whereas DTCA spending for the specific medication taken by an individual had no effect on treatment duration. Detailing spending at the class or product level had no significant effect on duration of treatment with an antidepressant medication. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that DTCA of antidepressants was associated with an increase in the number of people diagnosed with depression who initiated medication therapy. DTCA was associated with a small increase in the number of individuals treated with antidepressants who received the appropriate duration of therapy. Promotion to physicians was not associated with either the initiation of treatment with an antidepressant or with the duration of therapy.     

Update on antidepressant use during breastfeeding

Question Many of my patients who are diagnosed with postpartum depression want to continue breastfeeding. How safe are the newer antidepressant medications during breastfeeding?Answer The newer antidepressants transfer into breast milk in low amounts and have not been associated with serious adverse events. Therefore, the antidepressant most effective for the woman should be considered.     

Measuring the quality of depression care in a large integrated health system

BACKGROUND: Guideline-based depression process measures provide a powerful way to monitor depression care and target areas needing improvement. OBJECTIVES: To assess the adequacy of depression care in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) using guideline-based process measures derived from administrative and centralized pharmacy records, and to identify patient and provider characteristics associated with adequate depression care. RESEARCH DESIGN: This is a cohort study of patients from 14 VHA hospitals in the Northeastern United States which relied on existing databases. Subject eligibility criteria: at least one depression diagnosis during 1999, neither schizophrenia nor bipolar disease, and at least one antidepressant prescribed in the VHA during the period of depression care profiling (June 1, 1999 through August 31, 1999). Depression care was evaluated with process measures defined from the 1997 VHA depression guidelines: antidepressant dosage and duration adequacy. We used multivariable regression to identify patient and provider characteristics predicting adequate care. SUBJECTS: There were 12,678 patients eligible for depression care profiling. RESULTS: Adequate dosage was identified in 90%; 45% of patients had adequate duration of antidepressants. Significant patient and provider characteristics predicting inadequate depression care were younger age (<65), black race, and treatment exclusively in primary care. CONCLUSIONS: Under-treatment of depression exists in the VHA, despite considerable mental health access and generous pharmacy benefits. Certain patient populations may be at higher risk for inadequate depression care. More work is needed to align current practice with best-practice guidelines and to identify optimal ways of using available data sources to monitor depression care quality.     

Diffusion of new generation antidepressant treatment among elderly diagnosed with depression

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: This study analyzes the prevalence of new generation antidepressant treatment including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use from 1992 to 1997 among the elderly diagnosed with depression, using a large, nationally representative survey of Medicare beneficiaries. Relationships between use of new generation antidepressant treatment and socioeconomic characteristics, physical comorbidity, insurance coverage, and care sector (mental health specialty vs. general health services) are explored. RESEARCH DESIGN: Merged survey data, Medicare claims, and detailed self-reports from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey were used to explore use of new generation antidepressant treatment.SUBJECTS Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older living in the community, enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare throughout the year and diagnosed with depression. RESULTS: In 1997, among an estimated 1.1 million community dwelling older adults with diagnosis of depression in health care claims, nearly two thirds received antidepressant treatments. Among those diagnosed with depression and treated with antidepressants, the use of new generation antidepressants increased from 35% in 1992 to 77% in 1997. The rates of use increased among all subgroups examined. In the early years after the introduction of these new antidepressant medications (1992-1994), there were socioeconomic disparities in use of these medications, with less use by less educated and poor patients. However, these differences abated over time. CONCLUSIONS: An increasing proportion of elderly treated for depression with antidepressants received the new generation antidepressants. The diffusion of these new medications lagged for those with low socioeconomic status defined by education and income. This diffusion process conforms to a general model of diffusion in which during the initial years following introduction of a new treatment, especially one which is costly, early adopters of the treatment are likely to disproportionately represent those of higher socioeconomic status.     

Antidepressants in the treatment of migraine headache

Antidepressants, particularly tricyclic antidepressants, have been a mainstay in the prophylactic therapy of migraine. The tricyclic antidepressants amitriptyline, nortriptyline, and doxepin have been the major agents for prophylactic treatment of migraine. These cause significant side effects in some patients. The high-affinity selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and other newer antidepressants have been disappointing and much less effective in the treatment of migraine. In patients who are depressed with severe migraine, a tricyclic antidepressant may treat both conditions; however, the addition of a newer atypical antidepressant may be needed.     

Signal-averaged P wave duration predicts early recurrence of atrial fibrillation after cardioversion

Thirty-two patients had signal-averaged P wave duration measured after electrical cardioversion of AF, and were followed for 1 year or until there was a recurrence. The use of antiarrhythmic medications was left to the discretion of the attending physician. Among 20 patients not taking antiarrhythmic medication, the 11 patients who had a recurrence of AF within 3 months of cardioversion had a significantly longer signal-averaged P wave duration compared to the 9 patients who did not (148 +/- 17 vs 135 +/- 20 ms, P = 0.005). There was no difference in clinical parameters or left atrial diameter. A signal-averaged P wave duration cutoff anywhere between 130 and 135 ms correctly classified 85% of patients with a sensitivity of 81% and a specificity of 89%. In patients taking antiarrhythmic medications, signal-averaged P wave duration did not correlate with the risk of recurrence. In patients not taking antiarrhythmic medications, signal-averaged P wave duration can be used to predict the risk of an early recurrence of AF after cardioversion. The poor predictive value in patients taking antiarrhythmics may be due to changes in the atrial refractory period, which are not reflected in P wave duration.     

The treatment of depression in an ambulatory care setting

Nurse practitioners in a primary care setting often see patients suffering from depression. Many of these patients can be treated in the primary care setting by the nurse practitioner, in collaboration with a psychiatric clinical nurse specialist. Treatment modalities that can be effectively used for depressed patients in this setting include brief individual or group psychotherapy using short-term therapy models such as cognitive or interpersonal therapy, and/or antidepressant medications. Basic concepts and intervention techniques for the cognitive and interpersonal therapy models are described. Tricyclic antidepressants are highlighted including tables and content on action, target symptom side effects, drug-drug interactions, dosage schedules and patient education. In addition, other medications for depression such as lithium, monoamine oxidase inhibitors and psychostimulants are briefly reviewed.     

Treatment of depression. New pharmacologic approaches

Recurrent major depression is an underdiagnosed, undertreated mood disorder that affects approximately 10 million Americans. Although the tricyclic antidepressants are the oldest and best studied class of antidepressant medications available, their use is routinely compromised by unsatisfactory pharmacokinetic and side-effect profiles. The newer antidepressant medications have longer half-lives and are less likely to produce side effects. The prototypes of the newer antidepressants are bupropion (Wellbutrin) and fluoxetine (Prozac). Fluoxetine distinguishes itself in that its half-life is 2 to 3 days, whereas the mean half-life of buproprion and the tricyclics are 10 to 14 hours. For this reason, fluoxetine is routinely administered once daily in the morning. Both of these agents bind to the cholinergic, histaminergic, and alpha-1 adrenergic receptors with minimal affinity, and are less likely to yield clinically significant side effects. The use of the newer antidepressants has led to improved patient compliance and physician acceptance.     

Monitoring depression care: in search of an accurate quality indicator

BACKGROUND: Linking process and outcomes is critical to accurately estimating healthcare quality and quantifying its benefits. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to explore the relationship of guideline-based depression process measures with subsequent overall and psychiatric hospitalizations. RESEARCH DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort study during which we used administrative and centralized pharmacy records for sample identification, derivation of guideline-based process measures (antidepressant dosage and duration adequacy), and subsequent hospitalization ascertainment. Depression care was measured from June 1, 1999, through August 31, 1999. We used multivariable regression to evaluate the link between depression care and subsequent overall and psychiatric hospitalization, adjusting for patient age, race, sex, socioeconomic status, comorbid illness, and hospitalization in the prior 12 months. SUBJECTS: We studied a total of 12,678 patients from 14 Northeastern VHA hospitals. RESULTS: We identified adequate antidepressant dosage in 90% and adequate duration in 45%. Those with adequate duration of antidepressants were less likely to be hospitalized in the subsequent 12 months than those with inadequate duration (odds ratio [OR],.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], .81-1.00). Those with adequate duration of antidepressants were less likely to have a psychiatric hospitalization in the subsequent 12 months than those with inadequate duration (OR, .82; 95% CI, .69-.96). We did not demonstrate a significant link between dosage adequacy and subsequent overall or psychiatric hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: Guideline-based depression process measures derived from centralized data sources offer an important method of depression care surveillance. Their accuracy in capturing depression care quality is supported by their link to healthcare utilization. Further work is needed to assess the effect of implementing these quality indicators on depression care.     

Analysis of maintenance therapy in hospitalized patients with exacerbation of bronchial asthma: a six-year observation

The subjects of the study were 504 patients with bronchial asthma (BA) exacerbation, hospitalized in Saint Petersburg Hospital #32 in 1997 - 2004; the maintenance therapy in these patients was analyzed. Severe exacerbations were diagnosed in 256 (51%) of the patients, moderate--in 200 (40%), and mild--in 48 (9%). The study revealed that 78% of patients had been given instructions on their preventive anti-inflammatory therapy, informed about the doses of medications and the duration of the therapy. However, only 13% of the patients received anti-inflammatory therapy that was adequate to the severity of the illness, and only 32% of all the patients demonstrated correct technique of using meter dose inhalers. Correlations (p < 0.05) were established between these factors and poorer asthma control (R = -0.07) and the severity of the exacerbations (R = -0.41). Seventy-seven per cent of BA patients hospitalized for severe exacerbations either did not received inhaled glucocorticosteroids (IG) or received them irregularly, and only 8% of the patients received adequate anti-inflammatory therapy. The main causes of inadequate therapy were low compliance (46%) and poor level of patients' knowledge (22%). Unavailability of medications was reported only by 29% of the patients. The main cause of poor compliance was fear of corticosteroid therapy side effects; and the most common scenario of not following physician's recommendation was premature discontinuation of IG therapy. In conclusion, the rational way of the maintenance therapy optimization is correct choice of preventive anti-inflammatory medications and adequate inhalation delivery systems, patients' education, and overcoming of poor compliance at hospital stage. This is of particular importance in frequently hospitalized patients with BA.     

Resolving disparities in antidepressant treatment and quality-of-life outcomes between uninsured and insured primary care patients with depression

BACKGROUND: Efforts to improve primary care depression treatment should penetrate to vulnerable uninsured populations. OBJECTIVE: To assess a primary care intervention's impact on treatment and quality-of-life outcomes in uninsured and insured depressed patients during the acute treatment phase. RESEARCH DESIGN: Twelve community primary care practices were randomized to 'enhanced' (intervention) and usual care conditions. Physicians, nurses and administrative staff in enhanced care practices received training to improve detection and management of depression. SUBJECTS: In 1996 to 1997, 383 nonelderly depressed patients who were either uninsured or covered by private insurance/Medicaid were enrolled; 343 (89.6%) completed six-month follow-up. MEASURES: Adequate pharmacotherapy (>or=3 months of antidepressants at therapeutic doses); adequate psychotherapy (>or=8 counseling visits); improvement in mental-health-related-quality-of-life (MHQOL), assessed by Mental Component Summary scale for SF-36. RESULTS: Multivariate results showed that 54.6% of uninsured enhanced care (UEC) patients received adequate pharmacotherapy, compared with 14.3% of uninsured usual care (UUC) patients (P = 0.0005); however, receipt of adequate psychotherapy was comparable between these two groups (18.2% UEC, 11.9% UUC; P = 0.42). Intervention effects on insured patients' treatment were modest to minimal. Among usual care patients, the insured had 5.4 points greater improvement in MHQOL at 6 months than the uninsured (12.4 points insured, 7.0 points uninsured; P = 0.02); however, among patients receiving the intervention, the insured and uninsured had comparable MHQOL improvement (12.3 points insured, 11.6 points uninsured; P = 0.76). CONCLUSIONS: The intervention improved antidepressant treatment rates in uninsured patients and helped resolve quality-of-life outcome disparities observed between insured and uninsured patients receiving usual care.