OBJECTIVES: Cognitive symptoms are common and prominent among MDD patients, they can interfere with a patient’s everyday life and work productivity. However, research examining the impact of cognitive symptoms on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and work productivity in Chinese patients with MDD was lacking. The objective of this study was to assess the association between cognitive symptoms and HRQoL and work productivity in Chinese patients.

METHODS: The Prospective Research Observation to Assess Cognition in Treated MDD patients (PROACT) is an epidemiologic, non-interventional, prospective, multi-site study of Chinese MDD outpatients, aged 18–65 years, initiating new antidepressant monotherapy. HAM-D17 and the 9-item PHQ-9 were used to evaluate depression severity. PDQ-D and DSST were used to evaluate perceived cognitive symptoms and cognitive performance respectively. HRQoL was assessed using EQ-5D and work productivity was assessed by WPAI and SDS. Analyses of covariance were performed to determine the association of cognitive symptoms with HRQoL and work productivity.

RESULTS: A total of 986 patients were included in this analysis. Mean age (SD) was 35.9 (12.0) years and 68.5% of patients were female. Severity of perceived cognitive symptoms (higher total PDQ-D score) was found to be significantly associated with both lower HRQoL (p<0.001) and higher levels of absenteeism (p=0.020 for the WPAI and p=0.002 for the SDS) and presenteeism (p<0.001 for both scales), even when adjusted for baseline depression severity. The association between observed cognitive performance (DSST score) and HRQoL was less robust.

CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive symptoms were significantly associated with HRQoL and work productivity in Chinese patients with MDD. It is important to assess and target cognitive symptoms in order to improve functional outcomes when treating patients with MDD.