ADOLESCENT INPATIENTS WITH A DEPRESSIVE DISORDER: TREATMENT OUTCOMES AND PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGICAL MEDICATION

• Published in: Psychiatria Fennica
• Main Authors: Viivi Snellman, Anne Lecklin, Eila Laukkanen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Finnish Foundation for Psychiatric Research 2023-10-01
• Subjects: adolescent; depressive disorder; psychiatric inpatient treatment; treatment outcome; psychopharmacological medication
• Online Access: https://www.psykiatriantutkimussaatio.fi/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Psychiatria_Fennica-2023-Snellman.pdf

This study examined the efficacy of psychiatric inpatient treatment and the use of psychopharmacological medication in adolescents with a depressive disorder. The study sample consisted of 13–17 years old adolescents (n=256) treated due to a depressive disorder in the two adolescent psychiatric units of Kuopio University Hospital, Finland, during the ten years 2002–2011. The data concerning demographic and clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes and medication were collected from the patients’ medical records. Approximately 70% of hospitalizations terminated with satisfactory clinical results. Inpatient treatment was more beneficial for the patients with a non-psychotic depression, whereas every second adolescent with a psychotic depression had still low psychosocial functioning at discharge (median GAS scores at discharge 45 vs. 40, p=0.001). Psychotropic medication was utilized in 95% of all hospitalizations. Mirtazapine, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and atypical antipsychotics were the most frequently prescribed medications. Antidepressants and antipsychotics induced adverse events rather frequently (23% and 31%, respectively), but serious side effects such as worsening of psychiatric symptoms, cardiac problems and metabolic changes were rare. Psychopharmacological medication has to be individually tailored and require frequent monitoring of the clinical response, side effects and safety. Both clinical and controlled trials investigating the utility of psychopharmacological treatments in young patients are needed.