When are you going to say the patient in remission?!
A 47-year-old woman has been treated for depression with paroxetine. She presented with several months of depressed mood, anhedonia, early morning awakening, difficulty concentrating, low self-esteem, poor appetite and lethargy. She is two months into therapy, and for the past three weeks, she reports her mood as “good” and no longer has anhedonia. She now is sleeping until her alarm clock wakes her, but admits she is still tired throughout the day, struggles with concentrating, does not eat well, and has not regained her self-esteem. Since her mood is improved and her anhedonia has resolved, is this patient’s depression in remission?
A- YES
B- NO
The answer is B. NO. Remission is defined as at least 3 weeks of the absence of depressed mood and anhedonia, as well as no more than three remaining symptoms of the major depressive episode. This patient does not meet those criteria.