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European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience

Open Access 12-03-2025 | Antidepressant Drugs | Short Communication

Suboptimal antidepressant use among inpatients and outpatients with symptoms of depression: a cross-sectional analysis of the POKAL core data set

Authors: V. Brisnik, M. Schechner, P. Landmesser, H. Schillok, P. Schoenweger, M. Rottenkolber, D. Lindemann, K. Lukaschek, C. Jung-Sievers, P. Falkai, P. Henningsen, G. Pitschel-Walz, H. Krcmar, A. Schneider, C. Haas, F. Gökce, J. Eder, L. Pfeiffer, V. von Schrottenberg, C. Teusen, M. Bühner, J. Gensichen, T. Dreischulte, for The POKAL Study Group

Published in: European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience

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Abstract

We present a cross-sectional analysis of 1391 outpatients and 280 inpatients participating in subprojects of the Research Training Group POKAL, of whom 1609 had a PHQ-9 score ≥ 5 and 62 reported depression with antidepressant use. Antidepressant use was lower among outpatients than inpatients (28.5% vs. 82.5%), with higher levels of SSRI monotherapy (44.1% vs. 25.5%). Of antidepressant users, 80.1% had potentially inadequate treatment response, 21.7% high-risk use and of those with severe symptoms, 42.1% were potentially undertreated. Key risk factors were higher anxiety levels (for inadequate treatment response) and polypharmacy (for high-risk use), while previous depressive episode was protective against potential undertreatment.
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Metadata
Title
Suboptimal antidepressant use among inpatients and outpatients with symptoms of depression: a cross-sectional analysis of the POKAL core data set
Authors
V. Brisnik
M. Schechner
P. Landmesser
H. Schillok
P. Schoenweger
M. Rottenkolber
D. Lindemann
K. Lukaschek
C. Jung-Sievers
P. Falkai
P. Henningsen
G. Pitschel-Walz
H. Krcmar
A. Schneider
C. Haas
F. Gökce
J. Eder
L. Pfeiffer
V. von Schrottenberg
C. Teusen
M. Bühner
J. Gensichen
T. Dreischulte
for The POKAL Study Group
Publication date
12-03-2025
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
Print ISSN: 0940-1334
Electronic ISSN: 1433-8491
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-025-01989-y