Pain Relief and Depression Treatment Outcomes
Author Information
Author(s): Edith Schneider, Michael Linden, Harald Weigmann, Thomas Wagner, Deborah Quail, Hans-Peter Hundemer, Ulrich Hegerl
Primary Institution: Lilly Deutschland GmbH
Hypothesis
Is there an association between early reduction in painful physical symptoms and long-term depression outcomes in patients treated with duloxetine?
Conclusion
Pain reduction after 2 and 4 weeks can be used to estimate outcomes of long-term treatment with duloxetine.
Supporting Evidence
- 80% of patients had moderate to severe overall pain at baseline.
- A 50% reduction in overall pain after 4 weeks was associated with a 13.32 points higher mean KUSTA score after 6 months.
- Patients with a ≥ 50% reduction in overall pain VAS during the first 4 weeks had a higher chance of achieving a 50% reduction in the IDS-C total score after 6 months.
Takeaway
If people with depression feel less pain after starting treatment, they are more likely to feel better in the long run.
Methodology
Multicenter, prospective, non-interventional study assessing the impact of early changes in painful physical symptoms on long-term depressive symptoms in patients treated with duloxetine.
Potential Biases
Selection bias due to the non-randomized nature of the study.
Limitations
The study lacked a control group and was observational, which may introduce selection bias.
Participant Demographics
Mean age: 52.2 years, 71.8% female.
Statistical Information
P-Value
< 0.0001
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 2.41-3.75
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website