Effectiveness of Vortioxetine in Elderly Patients With Major Depressive Disorder in Real-World Clinical Practice: Results From the RELIEVE Study

This work was sponsored by H. Lundbeck A/S Background: Data demonstrating the real-world, long-term effectiveness of vortioxetine in elderly patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) are clinically useful to confirm findings from randomized trials. Methods: RELIEVE was a 24-week, observational, prospective, international cohort study in outpatients with MDD initiating vortioxetine treatment at their physician’s discretion in routine care settings (NCT03555136). Here, we report data from a subgroup analysis of 130 patients aged ≥65 years. Change from baseline in overall functioning was assessed using the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS). Other clinical outcomes included depression severity (Patient Health Questionnaire–9 item [PHQ-9] and Clinical Global Impressions–Severity [CGI-S]), cognitive performance (Digit Symbol Substitution Test [DSST]) and symptoms (Perceived Deficits Questionnaire–Depression–5 item [PDQ-D-5]), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (EuroQoL 5 Dimensions 5 Levels [EQ-5D-5L]). Results: Clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvements in overall functioning, depressive symptoms, cognitive function, and HRQoL were observed at week 24 with least squares mean SDS, PHQ-9, CGI-S, PDQ-D-5, DSST, and EQ-5D-5L scores improved from baseline by 6.5, 5.7, 1.2, 3.2, 4.4, and 0.11 points, respectively (P