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Journal of Psychopharmacology
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0269881107079049v1
22/2/153    most recent
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Adequacy of continuation and maintenance treatments for major depression in Japan

Akiko Fujita

Department of Psychiatry and Cognitive-Behavioral Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan, akifujita{at}hcc6.bai.ne.jp

Hideki Azuma

Department of Psychiatry and Cognitive-Behavioral Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan

Toshinori Kitamura

Department of Clinical Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan

Kiyohisa Takahashi

National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan

Tatsuo Akechi

Department of Psychiatry and Cognitive-Behavioral Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan

Toshi A. Furukawa

Department of Psychiatry and Cognitive-Behavioral Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan

Guidelines for treating depression often recommend continuing antidepressants at least for 6 months after remission. Whether this recommendation is implemented in daily practices represents a serious concern. We aimed to examine adequacy of continuation and maintenance treatment in Japan. A naturalistic prospective follow-up study with mood disorders was undertaken in 23 psychiatric departments from all over Japan. A total of 95 patients diagnosed with major depression were followed up every month until treatment termination and every 6 months thereafter. In this study, the cohort received 45.1 (SD = 64.7) mg of imipramine or equivalent per day during continuation phase, and about 74% were prescribed inadequate doses, i.e. less than 75 mg/day. At maintenance phase immediately before relapse, average dosage was 42.0 (SD = 74.7) mg/day and 83% were prescribed inadequate doses. There is gross under-treatment of depression during continuation and maintenance phases in Japan.

Key Words: major depressive disorder • continuation treatment • maintenance treatment

This version was published on March 1, 2008

Journal of Psychopharmacology, Vol. 22, No. 2, 153-156 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0269881107079049
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