The current challenges of the treatment of depression: venlafaxine extended release and remission outcomes in real-world clinical practice

Abstract

Introduction. This study aimed to assess the utility of venlafaxine XR for the current challenges of treatment of depression (remission and response) in real-world clinical practice.

Method. Observational, prospective, multicenter, crossnational, sixteen-week treatment study including out-patients seen in psychiatry with mild to moderate depressive (HAM-D ≤ 29) and anxiety symptoms (HAM-A > 7) to whom venlafaxine extended release (XR) was prescribed in realworld clinical practice. Remission of symptoms (HAM-D17 ≤ 7 and HAM-A ≤ 5) was assessed in 2,071 (ITT analysis) and 1,500 patients (per protocol analysis).

Results. At 4 months of treatment, ITT remission rate after treatment with venlafaxine XR was 66.3% (1,372/2,070) for depression symptoms and 57% (1,180/2,071) for anxiety symptoms, whereas PP remission rate was 76.1% and 66%, respectively (median dose of venlafaxine XR: 150 mg/day). Of the total number of patients, 19.2 % abandoned the study, but only 4.1% withdrew due to adverse events, the most common of them being nausea (3.87 %), headache (2.18%) and constipation (2.06%).

Conclusions. Venlafaxine XR showed a high remission rate of either depressive or anxiety symptoms in out-patients with depression, as well as a good tolerability profile, in real-world clinical practice.