An audit to identify factors that are more commonly associated with depressed patients on augmentation therapy under the Befordshire East Community Mental Health Team (BECMHT).

BACKGROUND

whilst it is important that we treat patients with depression in primary care if possible there are many patients with depression who will need the more expert support provided in secondary care.

AIMS AND

METHODS

an Anonymised Database held by the Bedford East Community Mental Health Team was studied to assess what factors were related to the use of Augmentation Strategies to treat resistant depression.

RESULTS

of the total 282 patients 109 (38.7%) were on augmentation therapy. In the F32 and F33 group just over a third of the patients (35.8% and 37.1%) were on augmentation therapy and in the F41.2 group over a half of patients (56.7%) were on augmentation therapy.

DISCUSSION: There does seem to be a relationship between the number of risk factors a patient has and the likelihood that they are on augmentation. Particularly strong factors are another psychiatric diagnosis and 'other suicide risk factors'.

CONCLUSION

generally the patients coming to secondary care with more of the specified risk factors are more likely to need augmentation.