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The present study evaluated the use of psychotropic medications in hospitalized adolescents suffering from depressive conduct disorder. In addition, the efficacy of the hospital treatment was estimated. The study sample comprised 13 to 17-year-old adolescents (n = 39) treated due to depressive conduct disorder in the two psychiatric inpatient units for adolescents in Kuopio University Hospital, Finland during the years 2002–2011. The demographic and clinical data of the adolescents as well as medication details were collected from the adolescents’ medical files. In addition to psychosocial interventions, psychotropic medications were frequently utilized in the inpatient treatment. Antidepressants were utilized in two out of every three hospitalizations and they were prescribed similarly to both genders. Fluoxetine, mirtazapine, citalopram and escitalopram were the most commonly prescribed antidepressants. Antipsychotic drugs were prescribed more often to girls than to boys. Quetiapine and olanzapine were the most often utilized antipsychotic drugs. Quetiapine was used, especially to treat girls and also those in voluntary treatment, whereas olanzapine was often prescribed to the adolescents involuntarily hospitalized. Other types of disorder-specific medications were also used to relieve the symptoms of concomitant sleep disorder or anxiety. During the psychiatric inpatient treatment, the psychosocial functioning of the adolescents improved markedly, and their depressive symptoms and feelings of hopelessness became relieved. The treatment outcome was estimated by the staff of the psychiatric units to be satisfactory in 25.5% of inpatient treatments. Over 40% of hospitalizations were discontinued due to the poor efficacy of the treatment. Depressive conduct disorder is a challenging disorder to treat. In addition to psychosocial interventions, pharmacological interventions aiming at specific clinical symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, sleeping disorders and aggression, represent an important part of a comprehensive therapeutic approach. |
