Abstract

Introduction: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a public health problem due to its high prevalence and biopsychosocial consequences. It is a clinically heterogeneous and complex disorder with a fluctuating course. In Chile, there are no studies on clinical trajectories in MDD. Objective: To describe the clinical response trajectories in patients with MDD under treatment in primary care centers (PCC) in Chile. Method: We conducted a prospective cohort study with a five-month follow-up, including patients treated in the Explicit Guarantees in Healthcare program for depression at seven PCC in the Valparaíso Region, Chile. We carried out four evaluations (weeks 0, 4, 12 and 20) to describe various clinical and sociodemographic variables related to the therapeutic evolution. We elaborated response trajectories in relation to the course of depressive symptoms. Results: 159 participants were included (93% women), with an average age of 43 years old. The most frequently reported risk conditions for MDD were social isolation or poor support network and having witnessed domestic violence during childhood. Twelve response trajectories were obtained from a total of 16 possible patterns. Differences were observed when analyzing the therapeutic responses between weeks 0 and 12 and 0 and 20. The most frequent trajectories were the maintenance or worsening of depressive symptoms (37.7%). Conclusions: The results show a symptomatic variability during the course of MDD. In this five-month follow-up, more than a third of the participants did not improve their depressive symptoms. © 2023 Sociedad de Neurologia Psiquiatria y Neurocirugia. All rights reserved.