Caitlyn T Solem, Ahmed Shelbaya, Yin Wan, Chinmay G Deshpande, Jose Alvir, Elizabeth Pappadopulos
BACKGROUND: In major depressive disorder (MDD), treatment persistence is critical to optimize symptom remission, functional recovery, and health care costs. Desvenlafaxine tends to have fewer drug interactions and better tolerability than other MDD drugs; however, its use has not been assessed in the real world. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study is to compare medication persistence and concomitant MDD drug use with branded desvenlafaxine (Pristiq(®)) compared with antidepressant drug groups classified as 1) branded selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs; ie, escitalopram [Lexapro™]) and selective serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs; ie, venlafaxine [Effexor(®)], duloxetine [Cymbalta(®)]) and 2) generic SSRIs/SNRIs (ie, escitalopram, citalopram, venlafaxine, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, and duloxetine)...
2016: Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment