Early Improvement in Psychosocial Function Predicts Longer-Term Symptomatic Remission in Depressed Patients.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between early change in psychosocial function independent of depression severity and longer-term symptomatic remission. Participants of Combining Medications to Enhance Depression Outcomes trial were randomly selected for model selection (n = 334) and validation (n = 331). Changes in psychosocial function (Work and Social Adjustment Scale, WSAS) from baseline to week 6 were assessed and two data-driven sub-groups of WSAS change were identified in the randomly selected model selection half. Results of analyses to predict symptomatic remission at 3 and 7 months were validated for these sub-groups in the second half (validation sample). From baseline to week 6, psychosocial function improved significantly even after adjusting for depression severity at each visit and select baseline variables (age, gender, race, ethnicity, education, income, employment, depression onset before age 18, anxious features, and suicidal ideation), treatment-arm, and WSAS score. The WSAS change patterns identified two (early improvement and gradual change) subgroups. After adjusting for baseline variables and remission status at week 6, participants with early improvement in the second half (validation sample) had greater remission rates than those with gradual change at both 3 (3.3 times) and 7 months (2.3 times) following acute treatment initiation. In conclusion, early improvement in psychosocial function provides a clinically meaningful prediction of longer-term symptomatic remission, independent of depression symptom severity.
Competing Interests: Drs. Jha, Minhajuddin, and Carmody report no financial relationships with commercial interests. Dr. Greer has received research funding from NARSAD and honoraria and/or consultant fees from H. Lundbeck A/S and Takeda Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. Dr. Rush has received consulting fees from the American Psychiatric Association, Brain Resource Ltd, H. Cyberonics, Eli Lilly, Emmes Corp, Lundbeck A/S, Medavante, Inc; National Institute of Drug Abuse; Santium Inc.; Takeda USA and the University of Colorado; speaking fees from the University of California at San Diego, Hershey Penn State Medical Center, the American Society for Clinical Psychopharmacology; the New York State Psychiatric Institute; Stanford Medical School; royalties from Guilford Publications and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; and research support from Duke-National University of Singapore. Dr. Madhukar H. Trivedi is or has been an advisor/consultant and received fees from: Alkermes Inc., Allergan, AstraZeneca, Brintellix, BMS, Cerecor, Eli Lilly & Company, Forest, Health Research Associates, Johnson & Johnson, Lundbeck, Medscape, MSI Methylation Sciences Inc., Merck, Naurex Inc., Nestle Health Science – Pamlab Inc., One Carbon Therapeutics, Otsuka America Pharmaceuticals Inc., PamLab, Pfizer Inc., Roche, SHIRE Development, Takeda Pharmaceuticals Inc. In addition, he has received grants/research support from: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Johnson and Johnson, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney diseases (NIDDK) and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.