scholarly journals Comparison of demographic and clinical characteristics between children and adolescents with major depressive disorder

2008 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 124-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee Fu-I ◽  
Yuan Pang Wang

OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical characteristics of major depressive disorder symptoms between children and adolescents. METHOD: The subjects were 58 patients of a Child and Adolescent Affective Disorder Clinic consecutively admitted during a six-month period. Children aged 5-9 years old and adolescents from 10-17 years old currently meeting DSM-IV criteria diagnosis of major depressive disorder were chosen. Current MDD diagnosis and depressive psychopathology were assessed by a clinical interview and the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents-DSM-IV version. The Children’s Depression Rating Scale-Revised Version and the Children Global Assessment Scale rated the severity and global functioning of major depressive disorder. RESULTS: The most common depressive symptoms were: anhedonia (72.4%), depressed mood (72.4%), decreased concentration (62.1%), and irritability (58.6%). The intensity of depressive episodes of this sample ranged from mild to moderate. Fifty percent reported thoughts of death, and 29.3% presented a variety of psychotic symptoms. When compared with children, adolescents reported a significantly more depressed mood (p = 0.043), lower self-esteem (p = 0.002), and had more difficulty concentrating (p = 0.020). Female adolescents had lower self-esteem (p = 0.003), and male adolescents showed more decreased concentration (p = 0.016). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that age and gender differences might influence the clinical presentation of major depressive disorder in children and adolescents. Further studies with larger samples are needed.

2005 ◽  
Vol 186 (4) ◽  
pp. 314-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Petteri Sokero ◽  
Tarja K. Melartin ◽  
Heikki J. Rytsälä ◽  
Ulla S. Leskelä ◽  
Paula S. Lestelä-Mielonen ◽  
...  

BackgroundThere are few prospective studies on risk factors for attempted suicide among psychiatric out- and in-patients with major depressive disorder.AimsTo investigate risk factors for attempted suicide among psychiatric out- and in-patients with major depressive disorder inthe city of Vantaa, Finland.MethodThe Vantaa Depression Study included 269 patients with DSM–IV major depressive disorder diagnosed using semi-structured interviews and followed up at 6- and 18-month interviews with a life chart.ResultsDuring the 18-month follow-up, 8% of the patients attempted suicide. The relative risk of an attempt was 2.50 during partial remission and 7.54 during a major depressive episode, compared with full remission (P<0.001). Numerous factors were associated with this risk, but lacking a partner, previous suicide attempts and total time spent in major depressive episodes were the most robust predictors.ConclusionsSuicide attempts among patients with major depressive disorder are strongly associated with the presence and severity of depressive symptoms and predicted by lack of partner, previous suicide attempts and time spent in depression. Reducing the time spent depressed is a credible preventive measure.


2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S374-S374 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Suciu ◽  
R. Paunescu ◽  
I. Miclutia

IntroductionImpairment in cognitive performance is an important characteristic in many psychiatric illnesses, such as Bipolar Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder. Initially, cognitive dysfunctions were considered to be present only in acute depressive episodes and to improve after symptoms recovered. Reports have described persistent cognitive deficits even after significant improvement of depressive symptoms.Aims/ObjectivesWe wanted to understand the dimension of cognitive impairment in unipolar and bipolar depression and also to underline the differences between cognitive profiles of patients diagnosed within the two mentioned disorders.MethodThis review examined recent literature about unipolar and bipolar depression.ResultsBoth depressed patients presented cognitive deficits in several cognitive domains. Different aspects of attention were altered in both patients but impairment in shifting attention appeared specific to unipolar disorder while impaired sustained attention was particular for bipolar disorder. Both types of patients showed memory deficits that were associated with poor global functioning. Two recent studies described that bipolar depressed subjects were more impaired across all cognitive domains than unipolar depressed subjects on tests assessing verbal memory, verbal fluency, attention and executive functions. The most consistently deficits were displayed on measures of executive functioning – such as tasks requiring problem solving, planning, decision making – suggesting that this cognitive domain is a trait-marker for depression.ConclusionsCognitive deficits are present in both disorders during a depressive episode but they display slightly different patterns of impairment.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


2004 ◽  
Vol 65 (12) ◽  
pp. 1654-1659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ozgur Yorbik ◽  
Boris Birmaher ◽  
David Axelson ◽  
Douglas E. Williamson ◽  
Neal D. Ryan

2004 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 777-785 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. B. MITCHELL ◽  
T. SLADE ◽  
G. ANDREWS

Background. There have been few large-scale epidemiological studies which have examined the prevalence of bipolar disorder. The authors report 12-month prevalence data for DSM-IV bipolar disorder from the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Well-Being.Method. The broad methodology of the Australian National Survey has been described previously. Ten thousand, six hundred and forty-one people participated. The 12-month prevalence of euphoric bipolar disorder (I and II) – similar to the euphoric-grandiose syndrome of Kessler and co-workers – was determined. Those so identified were compared with subjects with major depressive disorder and the rest of the sample, on rates of co-morbidity with anxiety and substance use disorders as well as demographic features and measures of disability and service utilization. Polychotomous logistic regression was used to study the relationship between the three samples and these dependent variables.Results. There was a 12-month prevalence of 0·5% for bipolar disorder. Compared with subjects with major depressive disorder, those with bipolar disorder were distinguished by a more equal gender ratio; a greater likelihood of being widowed, separated or divorced; higher rates of drug abuse or dependence; greater disability as measured by days out of role; increased rates of treatment with medicines; and higher lifetime rates of suicide attempts.Conclusions. This large national survey highlights the marked functional impairment caused by bipolar disorder, even when compared with major depressive disorder.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 575-575
Author(s):  
R. J. Haggerty

The study reports on 100 children and adolescents evaluated in a pediatric cardiology department. The results state that 13% of the population met the criteria for Major Depressive Disorder based on DSM III. There were four patients who were referred because of chest pain. All of them were found to be free from cardiovascular disorders, but all were found to be in the depressed group. The authors emphasize the importance of chest pain in differential diagnosis of childhood depression.


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