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Prescribing patterns of antidepressants in Europe: Results from the Factors Influencing Depression Endpoints Research (FINDER) study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

Michael Bauer ,
Brigitta U. Monz ,
Angel L. Montejo ,
Deborah Quail ,
Nicolas Dantchev ,
Koen Demyttenaere ,
Ana Garcia-Cebrian ,
Luigi Grassi ,
David G.S. Perahia  and
Catherine Reed
...Show all authors
Michael Bauer*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universitat Dresden, Fetscherstrae 74, D-01307Dresden, Germany
Brigitta U. Monz
Affiliation:
Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, D-55216Ingelheim, Germany
Angel L. Montejo
Affiliation:
University Hospital of Salamanca, Avda Comuneros 27, Salamanca37003, Spain
Deborah Quail
Affiliation:
Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Lilly Research Centre, Erl Wood Manor, Sunninghill Road, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6PH, UK
Nicolas Dantchev
Affiliation:
Unite de Psychiatrie, Ho tel-Dieu, 1, place du Parvis Notre Dame, 75004Paris, France
Koen Demyttenaere
Affiliation:
Universitair Ziekenhuis Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, 3000Leuven, Belgium
Ana Garcia-Cebrian
Affiliation:
Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Lilly Research Centre, Erl Wood Manor, Sunninghill Road, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6PH, UK
Luigi Grassi
Affiliation:
Section of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Corso Giovecca 203, 44100Ferrara, Italy
David G.S. Perahia
Affiliation:
Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Lilly Research Centre, Erl Wood Manor, Sunninghill Road, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6PH, UK The Gordon Hospital, Bloomburg Street, London, SW1V 2RH, UK
Catherine Reed
Affiliation:
Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Lilly Research Centre, Erl Wood Manor, Sunninghill Road, Windlesham, Surrey, GU20 6PH, UK
Andre Tylee
Affiliation:
Section of Primary Care Mental Health, Health Services and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK
*
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +49 351 458 2772; fax: +49 351 458 4324.
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Abstract

Antidepressant prescribing patterns and factors influencing the choice of antidepressant for the treatment of depression were examined in the Factors Influencing Depression Endpoints Research (FINDER) study, a prospective, observational study in 12 European countries of 3468 adults about to start antidepressant medication for their first episode of depression or a new episode of recurrent depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were the most commonly prescribed antidepressant (63.3% patients), followed by serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs, 13.6%), but there was considerable variation across countries. Notably, tricyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants (TCAs) were prescribed for 26.5% patients in Germany. The choice of the antidepressant prescribed was strongly influenced by the previous use of antidepressants, which was significantly associated with the prescription of a SSRI (OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.54, 0.76), a SNRI (OR 1.49; 95% CI 1.18, 1.88) or a combination of antidepressants (OR 2.78; 95% CI 1.96, 3.96). Physician factors (age, gender, speciality) and patient factors (severity of depression, age, education, smoking, number of current physical conditions and functional syndromes) were associated with initial antidepressant choice in some models. In conclusion, the prescribing of antidepressants varies by country, and the type of antidepressant chosen is influenced by physician- as well as patient-related factors.

Keywords

AntidepressantsDepressionEuropeFINDERPrescribing patterns
Type
Original articles
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 23 , Issue 1 , January 2008 , pp. 66 - 73
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier Masson SAS 2008

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Footnotes

☆

FINDER was funded by Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Windlesham, UK and Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Ingelheim, Germany.

1

Tel.: +49 6132 779 3362; fax: +49 6132 774233.

2

Tel.: +34 923126 596/97; fax: +34 923 265482.

3

Tel.: +44 (0) 1276 483293; fax: +44 (0) 1276 484800.

4

Tel.: +33 (0) 142 34 84 35; fax: +33 (0) 142 34 84 33.

5

Tel.: +32 163 48705; fax: +32 163 48700.

6

Tel.: +44 (0) 1276 483028; fax: +44 (0) 1276 483192.

7

Tel.: +39 0532 236 409; fax +39 0532 212240.

8

Tel.: +44 (0) 1276 483755/+44 (0)20 8746 8733; fax: +44 (0) 1276 483711/+44 (0)20 8746 8711.

9

Tel.: +44 (0) 1276 483243; fax: +44 (0) 1276 483192.

10

Tel.: +44 (0) 20 7848 0150; fax: +44 (0) 20 7848 0333.

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