Treatment patterns and decision drivers to discharge patients with depression hospitalised for acute suicidal ideation in Europe

Background: There is limited published information about the management of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) hospitalised for acute suicidal ideation (SI). This study aimed to identify treatment patterns and unmet needs in the management of these patients and the decision drivers for hospital discharge.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey-based study enrolling hospital-based European psychiatrists. The study had a qualitative and a quantitative stage, including a conjoint exercise.

Results: Each respondent (N = 413) managed, on average, 62 MDD patients with acute SI per typical three-month period; 76% of these patients required hospitalisation. Severity of SI and severity of MDD were considered the most important factors for hospital admission and discharge. In the conjoint analysis, these attributes accounted for 54% of the discharge decision. Key treatment goals included improving depressive symptoms and achieving MDD remission. Antidepressants were a standard treatment for 98% of respondents but 63% defined rapid onset of action as a critical unmet need, followed by a good tolerability profile (34%).

Limitations: The study has a cross-sectional design representing respondents' behaviour and attitudes at a particular point in time. In the conjoint analysis, the results represent stated behaviour and not observed clinical behaviour.

Conclusions: Physicians' decisions to admit and discharge patients with MDD hospitalised for acute SI are mostly driven by the severity of SI and depression. Antidepressants with rapid onset of action, which can quickly improve depressive symptoms, represent a key unmet need for these patients and may contribute to a higher likelihood of early discharge.