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2979350 
Journal Article 
Response and remission criteria in major depression--a validation of current practice 
Riedel, M; Möller, HJ; Obermeier, M; Schennach-Wolff, R; Bauer, M; Adli, M; Kronmüller, K; Nickel, T; Brieger, P; Laux, G; Bender, W; Heuser, I; Zeiler, J; Gaebel, W; Seemüller, F 
2010 
1 
Journal of Psychiatric Research
ISSN: 0022-3956
EISSN: 1879-1379 
44 
15 
1063-1068 
English 
20447651 
Remission and response were suggested as the most relevant outcome criteria for the treatment of depression. There is still marked uncertainty as to what cut-offs should be used on current depression rating scales. The goal of the present study was to compare the validity of different HAMD, MADRS and BDI cut-offs for response and remission. The naturalistic prospective study was performed in 12 psychiatric hospitals in Germany. All evaluable patients (n=846) were hospitalized and had to meet DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder. Biweekly ratings were assessed using HAMD-21, MADRS and BDI. A CGI-S score of 1 and a CGI-I score of at least 2 was used as the primary comparative measure of remission and response, respectively. A HAMD-21 cut-off ≤7 (AUC: 0.92), HAMD-17 cut-of ≤6 (AUC: 0.90), MADRS cut-off ≤7 (AUC: 0.94) and BDI cut-off ≤12 (AUC: 0.83) were associated with a maximum of specificity and sensitivity for defining remission. A minimum decrease of 47% of the HAMD-21 (AUC: 0.90), ≤57% for HAMD-17 (AUC: 0.89), ≤ 46% for MADRS (0.91) and a decrease of 47% for the BDI baseline score (AUC: 0.78) best corresponded CGI response criteria. Our data largely confirmed currently used remission and response criteria in naturalistically treated patients.