PMID- 21575333
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20110712
LR  - 20130520
IS  - 1479-1072 (Print)
IS  - 1479-1064 (Linking)
VI  - 19
IP  - 2
DP  - 2011
TI  - Continuity and monitoring of antidepressant therapy in a primary care setting.
PG  - 109-13
AB  - BACKGROUND: Little is currently known about the continuity and monitoring of 
      antidepressant treatment at individual patient level in primary care. AIMS: To 
      assess continuity of antidepressant therapy in a UK primary care setting at the 
      individual patient level and whether this therapy is conducted with appropriate 
      review. Methods A systematic analysis was undertaken in two general practices in 
      Aberdeen, Scotland of primary care records of adults initiated on an 
      antidepressant for a new episode of depression or anxiety within a 12-month 
      period and followed up for three years. Demographic and clinical details were 
      recorded. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed. Results The sample 
      consisted of 191 patients. Median duration of treatment for the first episode was 
      180 (inter-quartile range (IQR)=60, 429) days, with 29% of patients receiving an 
      antidepressant for 60 days or less. Age and previous receipt of antidepressants 
      contributed significantly to predicting treatment duration (p <0.01); effect size 
      (R(2) =0.1). The median interval between antidepressant review consultations 
      increased progressively with increasing treatment duration. There were no 
      significant predictors of frequency of antidepressant review. Conclusion 
      Depression management could be improved by assertive review (and better 
      characterisation) of patients who discontinue early; and by scheduled 
      reassessment of treatment in the second and subsequent years of continuation 
      therapy.
FAU - Middleton, David J
AU  - Middleton DJ
AD  - Applied Health Sciences (Mental Health), University of Aberdeen, Royal Cornhill 
      Hospital, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
FAU - Cameron, Isobel M
AU  - Cameron IM
FAU - Reid, Ian C
AU  - Reid IC
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PL  - England
TA  - Qual Prim Care
JT  - Quality in primary care
JID - 101182136
RN  - 0 (Antidepressive Agents)
SB  - IM
MH  - Adult
MH  - Age Factors
MH  - Antidepressive Agents/*administration & dosage/therapeutic use
MH  - Anxiety/*drug therapy
MH  - Depression/*drug therapy
MH  - Female
MH  - Humans
MH  - Male
MH  - Middle Aged
MH  - Primary Health Care/*organization & administration
MH  - Scotland
MH  - Time Factors
EDAT- 2011/05/18 06:00
MHDA- 2011/07/13 06:00
CRDT- 2011/05/18 06:00
PHST- 2011/05/18 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2011/05/18 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2011/07/13 06:00 [medline]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Qual Prim Care. 2011;19(2):109-13.