Claudi Bockting

Preventing relapse/recurrence in recurrent depression with cognitive therapy: a randomized controlled trial

This article reports on the outcome of a randomized controlled trial of cognitive group therapy (CT) to prevent relapse/recurrence in a group of high-risk patients diagnosed with recurrent depression. Recurrently depressed patients (N = 187) currently in remission following various types of treatment were randomized to treatment as usual, including continuation of pharmacotherapy, or to treatment as usual augmented with brief CT. Relapse/recurrence to major depression was assessed over 2 years. Augmenting treatment as usual with CT resulted in a significant protective effect, which intensified with the number of previous depressive episodes experienced. For patients with 5 or more previous episodes (41% of the sample), CT reduced relapse/recurrence from 72% to 46%. Our findings extend the accumulating evidence that cognitive interventions following remission can be useful in preventing relapse/recurrence in patients with recurrent depression.

Does cognitive behaviour therapy have an enduring effect that is superior to keeping patients on continuation pharmacotherapy? A meta-analysis

Objectives Although cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and pharmacotherapy are equally effective in the acute treatment of adult depression, it is not known how they compare across the longer term. In this meta-analysis, we compared the effects of acute phase CBT without any subsequent treatment with the effects of pharmacotherapy that either were continued or discontinued across 6–18 months of follow-up. Design We conducted systematic searches in bibliographical databases to identify relevant studies, and conducted a meta-analysis of studies meeting inclusion criteria. Setting Mental healthcare. Participants Patients with depressive disorders. Interventions CBT and pharmacotherapy for depression. Outcome measures Relapse rates at long-term follow-up. Results 9 studies with 506 patients were included. The quality was relatively high. Short-term outcomes of CBT and pharmacotherapy were comparable, although drop out from treatment was significantly lower in CBT. Acute phase CBT was compared with pharmacotherapy discontinuation during follow-up in eight studies. Patients who received acute phase CBT were significantly less likely to relapse than patients who were withdrawn from pharmacotherapy (OR=2.61, 95% CI 1.58 to 4.31, p<0.001; numbers-needed-to-be-treated, NNT=5). The acute phase CBT was compared with continued pharmacotherapy at follow-up in five studies. There was no significant difference between acute phase CBT and continued pharmacotherapy, although there was a trend (p<0.1) indicating that patients who received acute phase CBT may be less likely to relapse following acute treatment termination than patients who were continued on pharmacotherapy (OR=1.62, 95% CI 0.97 to 2.72; NNT=10). Conclusions We found that CBT has an enduring effect following termination of the acute treatment. We found no significant difference in relapse after the acute phase CBT versus continuation of pharmacotherapy after remission. Given the small number of studies, this finding should be interpreted with caution pending replication.

Plasma and erythrocyte fatty acid patterns in patients with recurrent depression: a matched case-control study.

Background The polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) composition of (nerve) cell membranes may be involved in the pathophysiology of depression. Studies so far, focussed mainly on omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs. In the present study, saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and PUFAs of the omega-3, -6 and -9 series in plasma and erythrocytes of patients with recurrent major depressive disorder (MDD-R) were compared with controls. Methodology and Principal Findings We carried out a case-control study. The sample consisted of 137 patients with MDD-R and 65 matched non-depressed controls. In plasma and erythrocytes of patients with MDD-R the concentrations of most of the SFAs and MUFAs, and additionally erythrocyte PUFAs, all with a chain length >20 carbon (C) atoms, were significantly lower than in the controls. In contrast, the concentrations of most of the shorter chain members (≤18C) of the SFAs and MUFAs were significantly higher in the patients. Estimated activities of several elongases in plasma of patients were significantly altered, whereas delta-9 desaturase activity for C14∶0 and C18∶0 was significantly higher. Conclusions/Significance The fatty acid status of patients with MDD-R not only differs with regard to omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs, but also concerns other fatty acids. These alterations may be due to: differences in diet, changes in synthesizing enzyme activities, higher levels of chronic (oxidative) stress but may also result from adaptive strategies by providing protection against enhanced oxidative stress and production of free radicals.

Continuation and Maintenance Use of Antidepressants in Recurrent Depression

Background: Maintenance antidepressant (AD) medication is the most commonly used preventive strategy in a highly recurrent disease, i.e. depression. Little is known about the discontinuation of maintenance AD use and the association with recurrence in daily clinical practice. The purpose was to examine the discontinuation rate of maintenance AD in daily clinical practice in recurrently depressed patients and the associated risk of recurrence. Methods: Prospectively AD maintenance medication and recurrence were examined in 172 euthymic patients with recurrent depression. AD user profiles before recurrence (nonusers, intermittent users, continuous users) were examined and related to recurrence over a 2-year follow-up period. Results: Less than half of the patients (42%) used AD continuously. Taking into account the minimal required adequate used dosage (≧20 mg fluoxetine equivalent), only 26% of the patients used AD as recommended by international guidelines. Despite continuous use of AD, 60.4% relapsed in 2 years. This relapse rate was comparable to the rate of the intermittent users (63.6%). In patients who stopped taking AD after remission and who received additional preventive CT, the recurrence rates were significantly lower than in non-AD-using patients treated with usual care (8 vs. 46%). Conclusions: The majority of recurrently depressed patients treated with AD discontinue maintenance AD therapy in daily primary and secondary clinical practice. AD seems to offer poor protection against relapse in this patient group. Patients who stopped using AD experienced less relapse, especially if they were treated with preventive CT. Alternative maintenance treatments (including preventive cognitive therapy after discontinuation of AD) should be studied in recurrently depressed patients with intermittent good remission, not only in secondary but also in primary care.

Long-term effects of preventive cognitive therapy in recurrent depression: a 5.5-year follow-up study

OBJECTIVE Major depressive disorder (MDD) was projected to rank second on a list of 15 major diseases in terms of burden in 2030. A crucial part of the treatment of depression is the prevention of relapse/recurrence in high-risk groups, ie, recurrently depressed patients. The long-term preventive effects of group cognitive therapy (CT) in preventing relapse/recurrence in recurrent depression are not known. This article reports on the long-term (5.5-year) outcome of a randomized controlled trial to prevent relapse/recurrence in patients with recurrent depression. We specifically evaluated the long-term effects of CT in relation to the number of previous episodes experienced. METHOD From February through September 2000, patients with recurrent depression (DSM-IV-diagnosed) who were in remission (N = 172) were recruited from primary and specialty care facilities. They were randomly assigned to treatment as usual (TAU) versus TAU augmented with brief group CT. The primary outcome measure was time to relapse/recurrence, which was assessed over 5.5 years. RESULTS Over 5.5 years, augmenting TAU with CT resulted in a significant protective effect (P = .003), which intensified with the number of previous depressive episodes experienced. For patients with 4 or more previous episodes (52% of the sample), CT significantly reduced cumulative relapse/recurrence from 95% to 75% (medium effect size). CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that brief CT, started after remission from a depressive episode on diverse types of treatment in patients with multiple prior episodes, has long-term preventive effects for at least 5.5 years. Implementation of brief relapse prevention CT should be considered in the continued care of patients with recurrent depression. TRIAL REGISTRATION ccmo-online.nl Identifier: NTR454.

Relapse and recurrence prevention in depression: Current research and future prospects

There is a growing body of literature which indicates that acute phases of psychotherapy are often ineffective in preventing relapse and recurrence in major depression. As a result, there is a need to develop and evaluate therapeutic approaches which aim to reduce the risk of relapse. This article provides a review of the empirical studies which have tested the prophylactic effects of therapy (cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness-based, and interpersonal psychotherapy) targeting relapse and recurrence in major depression. For definitional clarity, relapse is defined here as a return to full depressive symptomatology before an individual has reached a full recovery, whereas recurrence in defined as the onset of a new depressive episode after a full recovery has been achieved. Psychotherapeutic efforts to prevent relapse and recurrence in depression have been effective to varying degrees, and a number of variables appear to moderate the success of these approaches. A consistent finding has been that preventive cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based therapies are most effective for patients with three or more previous depressive episodes, and alternative explanations for this finding are discussed. It is noted, however, that a number of methodological limitations exist within this field of research, and so a set of hypotheses that may guide future studies in this area is provided.

Autobiographical memory in the euthymic phase of recurrent depression

The authors investigated autobiographical memory specificity in subjects who formerly had depression. In 122 euthymic patients with at least two previous major depressive episodes, memory specificity was significantly impaired compared to matched control participants but not related to residual symptoms and illness characteristics, was not differentially affected by cognitive therapy, and was also not predictive of relapse/recurrence during the 2-year follow-up. However, memory specificity was associated with age, education, and immediate and delayed memory recall. The results suggest that memory specificity may reflect a global cognitive impairment that remains in patients who (formerly) had depression but does not constitute a trait marker for vulnerability for relapse/recurrence.

A lifetime approach to major depressive disorder: The contributions of psychological interventions in preventing relapse and recurrence

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is highly disabling and typically runs a recurrent course. Knowledge about prevention of relapse and recurrence is crucial to the long-term welfare of people who suffer from this disorder. This article provides an overview of the current evidence for the prevention of relapse and recurrence using psychological interventions. We first describe a conceptual framework to preventive interventions based on: acute treatment; continuation treatment, or; prevention strategies for patients in remission. In brief, cognitive-behavioral interventions, delivered during the acute phase, appear to have an enduring effect that protects patients against relapse and perhaps others from recurrence following treatment termination. Similarly, continuation treatment with either cognitive therapy or perhaps interpersonal psychotherapy appears to reduce risk for relapse and maintenance treatment appears to reduce risk for recurrence. Preventive relapse strategies like preventive cognitive therapy or mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) applied to patients in remission protects against subsequent relapse and perhaps recurrence. There is some preliminary evidence of specific mediation via changing the content or the process of cognition. Continuation CT and preventive interventions started after remission (CBT, MBCT) seem to have the largest differential effects for individuals that need them the most. Those who have the greatest risk for relapse and recurrence including patients with unstable remission, more previous episodes, potentially childhood trauma, early age of onset. These prescriptive indications, if confirmed in future research, may point the way to personalizing prevention strategies. Doing so, may maximize the efficiency with which they are applied and have the potential to target the mechanisms that appear to underlie these effects. This may help make this prevention strategies more efficacious.

Do Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients with anxiety and depressive symptoms receive the care they need

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients with anxiety and/or depressive symptoms may not receive the care they need. Provision of care requires insight into the factors affecting these psychiatric symptoms. The study was designed to examine the extent to which: (1) IBD patients with anxiety and/or depressive symptoms receive mental treatment and (2) clinical and socio-demographic variables are associated with these symptoms. METHODS 231 adult IBD patients (79% response rate), attending a tertiary care center, completed standardized measures on anxiety and depressive symptoms (HADS), quality of life (SF-12) and mental health care use (TIC-P). Diagnosis and disease activity were determined by the gastroenterologist. RESULTS 43% had high levels of anxiety and/or depressive symptoms, indicative of a psychiatric disorder (HADS ≥ 8), of whom 18% received psychological treatment and 21% used psychotropic medication. In multivariate analysis, high disease activity was associated with anxiety (OR=2.72 | p<0.03) and depression (OR=3.36 | p<0.01), while Crohns disease was associated with anxiety (OR=2.60 | p<0.03). CONCLUSIONS Despite high levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms and poor quality of life, psychiatric complaints in IBD patients were undertreated. Screening for and treatment of psychiatric symptoms should become an integral part of IBD medical care.

Effectiveness of psychological interventions in preventing recurrence of depressive disorder: Meta-analysis and meta-regression.

BACKGROUND Major depression is probably best seen as a chronically recurrent disorder, with patients experiencing another depressive episode after remission. Therefore, attention to reduce the risk of relapse or recurrence after remission is warranted. The aim of this review is to meta-analytically examine the effectiveness of psychological interventions to reduce relapse or recurrence rates of depressive disorder. METHODS We systematically reviewed the pertinent trial literature until May 2014. The random-effects model was used to compute the pooled relative risk of relapse or recurrence (RR). A distinction was made between two comparator conditions: (1) treatment-as-usual and (2) the use of antidepressants. Other sources of heterogeneity in the data were explored using meta-regression. RESULTS Twenty-five randomised trials met inclusion criteria. Preventive psychological interventions were significantly better than treatment-as-usual in reducing the risk of relapse or recurrence (RR=0.64, 95% CI=0.53-0.76, z=4.89, p<0.001, NNT=5) and also more successful than antidepressants (RR=0.83, 95% CI=0.70-0.97, z=2.40, p=0.017, NNT=13). Meta-regression showed homogeneity in effect size across a range of study, population and intervention characteristics, but the preventive effect of psychological intervention was usually better when the prevention was preceded by treatment in the acute phase (b=-1.94, SEb=0.68, z=-2.84, p=0.005). LIMITATIONS Differences between the primary studies in methodological design, composition of the patient groups and type of intervention may have caused heterogeneity in the data, but could not be evaluated in a meta-regression owing to poor reporting. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that there is supporting evidence that preventive psychological interventions reduce the risk of relapse or recurrence in major depression.