Cited by 458Treatment of Major DepressionAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesMental Health Treatment and Access

Residual symptoms after remission of major depressive disorder with citalopram and risk of relapse: a STAR*D report

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Nierenberg, A. A., Husain, M. M., Trivedi, M. H., Fava, M., Warden, D., Wisniewski, S. R., Miyahara, S., Rush, A. J.·2010·Psychological Medicine

Abstract

Background: Many patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who experience full symptomatic remission after antidepressant treatment still have residual depressive symptoms. We describe the types and frequency of residual depressive symptoms and their relationship to subsequent depressive relapse after treatment with citalopram in the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) trial. Method: Participants in primary ( n =18) and psychiatric ( n =23) practice settings were openly treated with citalopram using measurement-based care for up to 14 weeks and follow-up for up to 1 year. We assessed 943 (32.8% of 2876) participants who met criteria for remission to determine the proportions with individual residual symptoms and any of the nine DSM-IV criterion symptom domains to define a major depressive episode. At each visit, the 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, Self-Report (QIDS-SR 16 ) and the self-report Frequency, Intensity, and Burden of Side Effects Rating (FIBSER) scale were used to assessed depressive symptoms and side-effects respectively. Results: More than 90% of remitters had at least one residual depressive symptom (median=3). The most common were weight increase (71.3%) and mid-nocturnal insomnia (54.9%). The most common residual symptom domains were sleep disturbance (71.7%) and appetite/weight disturbance (35.9%). Those who remitted before 6 weeks had fewer residual symptoms at study exit than did later remitters. Residual sleep disturbance did not predict relapse during follow-up. Having a greater number of residual symptom domains was associated with a higher probability of relapse. Conclusions: Patients with remission of MDD after treatment with citalopram continue to experience selected residual depressive symptoms, which increase the risk of relapse.

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  • Less ill patients are known to have a smaller relapse risk overall.

    “Less ill patients are known to have a smaller relapse risk overall (e.g. Nierenberg et al. 2010)”

    From Predicting relapse after antidepressant withdrawal – a systematic review (2017) · cites this paper as Nierenberg et al. 2010

    The Results report that, among patients whose depression remitted with citalopram, more residual symptom domains were associated with a greater probability of relapse. This supports the direction of the claim, but the study does not establish that less ill patients generally have a smaller relapse risk overall; its finding concerns residual symptoms in remitters. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • The depression treatment cascade approach underscores the high prevalence of poor outcomes of depression in primary care, of which a significant percentage would be expected to meet criteria for TRD.

    “The foregoing cascade approach -­ which in­ tegrates aspects of misdiagnosis, non-­ ad­ herence, inadequate treatment trials, as well as implementation gaps -­ underscores the high prevalence of poor outcomes of depression in primary care, of which a significant percentage would be expected to meet crite­ ria for TRD 10,30,64,71,107,108 .”

    From Treatment‐resistant depression: definition, prevalence, detection, management, and investigational interventions (2023) · cites this paper as [71]

    The Results (page unavailable) report that about 32% of evaluable participants remitted after citalopram, supporting a high rate of nonremission. The Methods say participants came from both primary-care and psychiatric settings, not primary care alone. The paper does not establish what percentage of those with poor outcomes would meet criteria for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • Residual symptom load affects relapse risk overall.

    “Residual symptom load affects relapse risk overall (Nierenberg et al. 2010)”

    From Predicting relapse after antidepressant withdrawal – a systematic review (2017) · cites this paper as Nierenberg et al. 2010

  • In the STAR*D trial, only 10% of persons 'in remission' were fully asymptomatic.

    “This was highlighted in the STAR * D trial, in which it was ob­ served that only 10% of persons 'in re­ mission' were fully asymptomatic 71 .”
  • Existing TRD definitions fail to take into consideration the social, economic, anamnestic and interpersonal factors which, alone or in combinations, are known to moderate antidepressant response.

    “Further drawbacks of existing TRD defi­ nitions are that they fail to take into consid­ eration the social, economic, anamnestic (e.g., adverse childhood experiences) and interpersonal factors which, alone or in combinations, are known to moderate antidepressant response 1,44,47,71,75-­ 81 .”

    From Treatment‐resistant depression: definition, prevalence, detection, management, and investigational interventions (2023) · cites this paper as [71]

    The Introduction and Discussion address residual depressive symptoms after citalopram treatment and their relationship to relapse, not shortcomings of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) definitions. Searches for treatment resistance and social, economic, childhood-history, and interpersonal factors found no passage in our copy establishing that these factors moderate antidepressant response or are omitted from TRD definitions. The indexed passages provide no page numbers. (LLM, conf=0.75)

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Authors
Nierenberg, A. A., Husain, M. M., Trivedi, M. H., Fava, M., Warden, D., Wisniewski, S. R., Miyahara, S., & Rush, A. J.
Affiliations
  • Massachusetts General Hospital (US)
  • The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (US)
  • University of Pittsburgh (US)
Corresponding author
Nierenberg, A. A.
Venue
Psychological Medicine
Published
2009-05-22
Volume
40
Issue
1
Pages
41-50
ISSN
  • 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-8978
OpenAlex
W2150325627
Cited by
458
References
31
Citations by year
2026: 24 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 31 · 2014: 28 · 2013: 34 · 2012: 30
FWCI
16.77
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychological Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  • Bristol-Myers Squibb
  • University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
  • National Institutes of Health (n01mh90003-26-0-0)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (N01 MH090003)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
Keywords
major depressive disorder, residual depressive symptoms, remission, citalopram, relapse risk, sleep disorders, weight gain, antidepressant side effects, STAR*D trial, QIDS-SR16
MeSH terms
Adult, Major Depressive Disorder, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders, Male, Middle Aged, Personality Inventory, Psychometrics, Recurrence, Risk Factors, Citalopram, Weight Gain, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation, Kaplan-Meier Estimate, Young Adult

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