Predictability of dropout in unipolar depressed outpatients

In a three phase sequential treatment strategy study involving 119 depressed outpatients, a total of 31 patients (26.7%) stopped treatment prematurely due to side-effects (21/31), aggravation of symptoms (3/31), non-compliance (4/31), and non-treatment related events (3/31). At baseline, no significant differences were found on sociodemographic and psychiatric data between patients who did or did not drop out. As predictors of dropout eight domains of data concerning psychiatric history, premorbid history, symptomatology, personality, and social adjustment were used. Using a logistic linear regression analysis, only three variables were related to dropout. Patients with a history of alcohol use or poor social functioning according to axis V of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-III-R had a higher chance to drop out, while patients with a sleep disturbance according to the Symptom Checklist (SCL)-90 had a smaller chance to drop out.