[Treatment of depressive disorder and comorbid personality pathology: combined therapy versus pharmacotherapy]

Abstract

Background: Comorbidity of depressive and personality disorder occurs frequently, in literature percentages of around 50 to nearly 80 percent are found. Also in the Mentrum depression study on which this article is grounded, high percentages of around 66% were found. There is no equivocal treatment method of choice in literature, and opinions differ as to whether personality pathology has an adverse influence on the efficacy of the treatment for depression.

Aim: To compare the results of pharmacotherapy and combined therapy in the treatment of depressive disorders in patients with and without comorbid personality disorder.

Method: A 6 month randomised clinical trial of antidepressants and combined therapy in ambulatory patients with major depressive disorder and a baseline score of at least 14 points on the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Pharmacotherapy follows three subsequent steps in case of intolerance/inefficacy: fluoxetine, amitriptyline and moclobemide. In addition combination therapy includes 16 short-term sessions of psychodynamic supportive psychotherapy. Possible personality pathology is assessed by means of the 'Vragenlijst Kenmerken Persoonlijkheid' (a self report version of the International Personality Disorder Examination). Analyses of (co) variance and chi-squared tests were applied to assess the differences in both treatment conditions in the group with and without personality pathology.

Results: Combined therapy was significantly more effective than pharmacotherapy for depressed patients with personality disorders. For depressed patients without personality disorders, combined therapy was not more effective than pharmacotherapy alone.

Conclusion: The combination of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy seems to be the treatment of choice for depressed patients with comorbid personality pathology.