A retrospective analysis of vortioxetine utilization in children and adolescents with major depressive disorder in clinical practice

Abstract Background Treating depression in children and adolescents has always been a challenge in clinical pharmacotherapy. Vortioxetine, as a new type of antidepressant, is considered to have the potential for use in the treatment of depression in children and adolescents. This study aimed to eval...

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Main Authors: Xianmei Luo, Shu Yu, Keliang Pan, Lin Cheng, Fan Luo, Handi Zhang, Mingjun Duan, Yajun Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-05-01
Series:BMC Psychiatry
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06983-1
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author Xianmei Luo
Shu Yu
Keliang Pan
Lin Cheng
Fan Luo
Handi Zhang
Mingjun Duan
Yajun Zhang
author_facet Xianmei Luo
Shu Yu
Keliang Pan
Lin Cheng
Fan Luo
Handi Zhang
Mingjun Duan
Yajun Zhang
author_sort Xianmei Luo
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Treating depression in children and adolescents has always been a challenge in clinical pharmacotherapy. Vortioxetine, as a new type of antidepressant, is considered to have the potential for use in the treatment of depression in children and adolescents. This study aimed to evaluate the usage of vortioxetine and its efficacy and tolerability in children and adolescents with major depressive disorder in a real-world study. Methods A retrospective survey of vortioxetine treatment was conducted at a Class A tertiary mental health hospital. Data regarding the demographic and clinical characteristics were collected among children and adolescents with major depressive disorder from electronic medical record system. Results The study included a total of 253 depressive patients, comprising 96 males and 157 females, who were prescribed vortioxetine at any time during the research period. One hundred and twenty-three patients (43.62%) received vortioxetine treatment at the initial visit. Of the total patients, 27 (10.67%) reported side effect, such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, palpitations, diarrhea, drowsiness, and itching. Additionally, 20 (7.91%) discontinued medical treatment due to adverse effect. No significant difference was found between males and females in drug-related adverse events (X2 = 0.56, P = 0.454). Furthermore, 96 (37.94%) reported relief from their symptoms in all patients, with a significant difference observed between males and females in reporting symptom relief (X2 = 3.934, P = 0.047). But this difference disappeared in patients who took vortioxetine alone and those who took it for more than three months. Conclusion There exists a certain proportion of children and adolescents suffering from depression who are prescribed vortioxetine in an off-label manner in psychiatric clinics. Vortioxetine demonstrates well tolerability in clinical practice. However, the proportion of self-report symptom alleviation is comparatively unsatisfactory. Furthermore, gender appears influence on self-report symptom relief.
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spelling doaj-art-62e1f4a071a849edaad4b6db6074dc6a2025-08-20T01:53:25ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2025-05-012511710.1186/s12888-025-06983-1A retrospective analysis of vortioxetine utilization in children and adolescents with major depressive disorder in clinical practiceXianmei Luo0Shu Yu1Keliang Pan2Lin Cheng3Fan Luo4Handi Zhang5Mingjun Duan6Yajun Zhang7MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaMOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaMOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaMOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaMOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaMental Health Center of Shantou UniversityMOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaMOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaAbstract Background Treating depression in children and adolescents has always been a challenge in clinical pharmacotherapy. Vortioxetine, as a new type of antidepressant, is considered to have the potential for use in the treatment of depression in children and adolescents. This study aimed to evaluate the usage of vortioxetine and its efficacy and tolerability in children and adolescents with major depressive disorder in a real-world study. Methods A retrospective survey of vortioxetine treatment was conducted at a Class A tertiary mental health hospital. Data regarding the demographic and clinical characteristics were collected among children and adolescents with major depressive disorder from electronic medical record system. Results The study included a total of 253 depressive patients, comprising 96 males and 157 females, who were prescribed vortioxetine at any time during the research period. One hundred and twenty-three patients (43.62%) received vortioxetine treatment at the initial visit. Of the total patients, 27 (10.67%) reported side effect, such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, palpitations, diarrhea, drowsiness, and itching. Additionally, 20 (7.91%) discontinued medical treatment due to adverse effect. No significant difference was found between males and females in drug-related adverse events (X2 = 0.56, P = 0.454). Furthermore, 96 (37.94%) reported relief from their symptoms in all patients, with a significant difference observed between males and females in reporting symptom relief (X2 = 3.934, P = 0.047). But this difference disappeared in patients who took vortioxetine alone and those who took it for more than three months. Conclusion There exists a certain proportion of children and adolescents suffering from depression who are prescribed vortioxetine in an off-label manner in psychiatric clinics. Vortioxetine demonstrates well tolerability in clinical practice. However, the proportion of self-report symptom alleviation is comparatively unsatisfactory. Furthermore, gender appears influence on self-report symptom relief.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06983-1VortioxetineMajor depressive disorderChildrenAdolescentsRetrospective analysis
spellingShingle Xianmei Luo
Shu Yu
Keliang Pan
Lin Cheng
Fan Luo
Handi Zhang
Mingjun Duan
Yajun Zhang
A retrospective analysis of vortioxetine utilization in children and adolescents with major depressive disorder in clinical practice
BMC Psychiatry
Vortioxetine
Major depressive disorder
Children
Adolescents
Retrospective analysis
title A retrospective analysis of vortioxetine utilization in children and adolescents with major depressive disorder in clinical practice
title_full A retrospective analysis of vortioxetine utilization in children and adolescents with major depressive disorder in clinical practice
title_fullStr A retrospective analysis of vortioxetine utilization in children and adolescents with major depressive disorder in clinical practice
title_full_unstemmed A retrospective analysis of vortioxetine utilization in children and adolescents with major depressive disorder in clinical practice
title_short A retrospective analysis of vortioxetine utilization in children and adolescents with major depressive disorder in clinical practice
title_sort retrospective analysis of vortioxetine utilization in children and adolescents with major depressive disorder in clinical practice
topic Vortioxetine
Major depressive disorder
Children
Adolescents
Retrospective analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06983-1
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