Factors influencing depression endpoints research (FINDER): Study design and population characteristics

Abstract

Factors influencing outcomes of depression in clinical practice, especially health-related quality of life (HRQoL), are poorly understood. The Factors Influencing Depression Endpoints Research (FINDER) study is a European prospective, observational study designed to estimate the HRQoL of adults with a clinically diagnosed depressive episode at baseline, and 3 and 6 months after commencing antidepressant medication. We report here the study design and baseline patient characteristics. HRQoL was assessed by the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D). Patient ratings on Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and pain Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were also obtained. Results (n=3468) showed that SF-36 mental component summary (mean 22.2) was more than two SDs below general population norms (mean 50.0) and one SD below clinical depression norms (mean 34.8); the physical component summary (mean 46.1) was similar to general population (mean 50.0) and clinical depression norms (mean 45.0). Mean EQ-5D scores were also lower than general population norms. Mean HADS-Depression and -Anxiety subscores were 12.3 and 13.0, respectively. Fifty-six percent of patients reported an overall pain VAS score of at least 30mm and 70% of these patients had no physical explanation for their pain. Further investigation into factors associated with HRQoL in depression after treatment initiation is warranted.

The Factors Influencing Depression Endpoints Research (FINDER) study: final results of Italian patients with depression

“…The design and methods of FINDER have been reported in detail elsewhere [8,9]. Briefly, primary care physicians or specialists enrolled adult patients responding to the following inclusion criteria: (i) A clinical diagnosis of depression; (ii) pharmacological treatment required for either a first or a new episode of depression; (iii) at least 18 years of age; (iv) no simultaneous participation in a different study that included an investigational drug or procedure.…”

Résultats de la cohorte française de l’étude observationnelle européenne FINDER : qualité de vie de patients traités par antidépresseurs

“…L'étude observationnelle FINDER [11,12], conduite dans 12 pays européens (Allemagne, Autriche, Belgique, France, Irlande, Italie, Norvège, Pays-Bas, Portugal, Royaume-Uni, Suède, Suisse), a permis d'évaluer sur une période de six mois l'évolution des patients en termes de qualité de vie, de symptômes de dépression, d'anxiété, de symptômes physiques et de douleur. Cette étude a été menée auprès de patients ambulatoires souffrant de dépression selon le jugement des cliniciens, qui décidaient dans le cadre de leur pratique courante d'initier un traitement antidépresseur.…”

Correction for "'Caseness' for Depression and Anxiety in a Depressed Outpatient Population

“…The detailed study design and methods have been reported elsewhere 10 and are only briefly described here. The study was approved in all countries according to local requirements for ethics and/or regulatory approvals for observational studies, and all patients gave written informed consent.…”

“…The Factors Influencing Depression Endpoints Research (FINDER) study is a large (N = 3,468) European, prospective, observational study of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes in adult patients with a clinically diagnosed depressive episode at baseline (untreated) and at 3 and 6 months after commencing antidepressant medication. [10][11][12] The only included psychometric tool allowing assessment of a formal diagnosis of a depressive or anxiety disorder in the FINDER study was the patient-rated Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), a well-known screening instrument. 13 This questionnaire was originally used in the FINDER study as a patient-rated symptom severity scale.…”