The study examined the clinical characteristics, service use, and lived experiences of patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) compared with those with major depressive disorder (MDD). The researchers aimed to assess prevalence, treatment pathways, and the burden associated with TRD in both quantitative and qualitative analyses. The findings reveal that more than one-third of patients with TRD had trialed four or more antidepressants within a single episode. Patients with TRD exhibited higher rates of recurrent depression, comorbid anxiety disorders, personality disorders, psychotic illness, self-harm, cardiovascular comorbidities, smoking-related diagnoses, type 2 diabetes, and economic inactivity compared with those with nonresistant MDD. The study also identified barriers to effective care and highlighted the need for clearer classification standards and improved access to tailored psychological and biological interventions.

Source: The British Journal of Psychiatry