Cognitive behavioral therapy and treatment of patients with major depression

We compared a group of 12 patients age 37.7 ± 9.4 years (8 women) treated only with antidepressive drugs with other group of patients age 39.7 ± 8.2 (10 women) treated bought with pharmacotherapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy. There have been used Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Back Hopelessness Scale (BHS) on the beginning and at the end of treatment. In both groups severe form of depression (more than 31 according the Beck Depression Inventory) was confirmed. In group of patients treated with drugs only mean value of BDI at the beginning of treatment where 49.1 ± 5.6, and 11.1 ± 2.4 at the end, with average improvement of 38 ± 4.0. In the same scale in the group of patients treated also with cognitive-behavioral therapy mean values were 42.5 ± 8.2 at the beginning and 4.2 ± 2.7 at the end of treatment, with average improvement of 38.1 ± 6.8, identical like in first group (p=0.997). But, in group of patients treated with drugs only number of relapse was 5, significantly higher than just one relapse in group of patients treated with drugs and CBT (p<0.0001). Mean value of BAI in the group treated only with pharmacotherapy at the beginning of treatment was 28.1 ± 8.7, and 7.3 ± 45.0 at the end. In the group of patients treated also with cognitive-behavioral therapy at the beginning was 35.75 ± 8.9 and 3.1 ± 1.4 at the end. Group of patients treated with drugs only showed 20.8 ± 9.9 reduction of anxiety In group of patients treated with drugs and CBT reduction of anxiety was significantly higher (p=0.004) with value of 32.7 ± 8.2. Back Hopelessness Scale in group of patients treated only with drugs was 10.25 ± 6.2 at the beginning of treatment, and 1.7 ± 2.0 at the end, with average improvement of 8.6 ± 5.4. In group of patient treated with cognitive behavioral therapy it was 7.1 ± 6.9 at the beginning, and 0.6 ± 1.2 at the end of treatment, with average improvement of 6.6 ± 56.2, which was not significantly different (p=0.411) in comparison with group treated with drugs only. Cognitive behavioral therapy in combination with appropriate pharmacotherapy represents sovereign therapeutical procedure in the treatment of patients with major depression mainly due to decreased risk of relapse.