Treatment aspects of youth depression with attenuated schizophrenic symptoms

Abstract

To analyze main aspects of the treatment of patients with youth depression with attenuated schizophrenic symptoms (ASS). Two hundred and nineteen young in-patients (median age 19.6±2.4) with the first depressive episode (F32.1, F32.2, F32.38, F32.8.) and ASS were examined. The comparison group included 52 patients with depression without ASS with similar socio-demographic and age characteristics (average age 19.8±2.7 years). The efficacy of the therapy was assessed by the reduction of HDRS, SOPS and SANS scores. The Drug Compliance Scale was used to assess the compliance of patients. The average duration of in-patient treatment did not differ between groups (56.3 days in the main group and 54.2 days in the comparison group). The most effective therapy was found in the depression reduction on HDRS (67.9% and 76.6% respectively), the ASS reduction was 46.1% on the SOPS and 31.2% on the SANS. The combination of antidepressants (46.0±28.9 mg/day for fluoxetine equivalents) and antipsychotics (385.4±210.7 mg/day for chlorpromazine equivalents) were required to achieve this efficacy. The average duration of continued treatment was 7.4±9.6 months that was significantly lower (p<0.05) than in the comparison group (11.7±9.0 months), which was determined by the low compliance of such patients. The results show that a combination treatment and the implementation of measures, increasing the degree of compliance are required to increase the efficacy of treatment in patients with youth depression and ASS.