Association between self-rated physical performance and late-life depression in elderly patients

Physical illness at referral and subsequent mortality were studied in a group of elderly patients with depression, and compared with age/sex-matched controls. The depressed group was significantly less well at first interview, and had a significantly higher 4–year mortality. When the effect of physical illness was controlled, the depressed patients (particularly the men) still had a significantly higher 4–year mortality, suggesting that the greater mortality in the depressed group was not due to differences in physical health alone.

Download Full-text

Improvement of late life depression after therapeutic enoxaparin: two case reports

Australasian Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/1039856218797441 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 26 (5) ◽

pp. 534-536 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

David Graham ◽

Qi Xuan Wu ◽

Ian Gilligan ◽

Raiz Ismail ◽

Mark Walker

Keyword(s):

Pulmonary Embolism ◽

Elderly Patients ◽

Inpatient Treatment ◽

Case Reports ◽

Late Life ◽

Organic Basis ◽

Late Life Depression ◽

Treatment Of Depression ◽

Significant Clinical Improvement ◽

Vascular Component

Objective: Late life depression (LLD) may have a significant vascular component. While this organic basis remains controversial it would explain the refractory nature of LLD. Moreover, depression is a risk factor for venous thrombus embolism (VTE). This paper aims to describe two elderly patients with LLD who developed and were treated for pulmonary embolism (PE). Methods: Two cases of elderly patients who developed PE while they were undergoing inpatient treatment for depression are presented. This is discussed using the vascular and the cytokine hypotheses of depression as an explanatory framework. Results: Both patients showed significant clinical improvement in their mental state following therapeutic enoxaparin despite no other changes to their management of depression. This observed benefit of enoxaparin can be explained by the vascular hypothesis of LLD, and possibly the cytokine hypothesis of major depression. Conclusion: Enoxaparin may be a novel adjunct to the treatment of depression in elderly patients. The possible benefit of enoxaparin would require further study to exclude a coincidence in these clinical cases.

Download Full-text

Oral health-related quality of life in late-life depression patients treated prosthetically

Prosthodontics ◽

10.5604/00331783.1233262 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 67 (1) ◽

pp. 58-64

Author(s):

Małgorzata Gałczyńska-Rusin ◽

Ryszard Koczorowski

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Oral Health ◽

Elderly Patients ◽

Life Quality ◽

Late Life ◽

Health Related Quality ◽

Late Life Depression ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related

Introduction. Due to the ageing of the human population, dentists provide care for an increasing number of elderly patients suffering from depression. Aim of the study. To examine the relationship between depression signs, oral health-related quality of life and adaptation to new prosthetic restorations in elderly patients. The study involved 150 patients of the Gerodontology Clinic after prosthetic rehabilitation with removable dentures. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) were used in questionnaire examinations. Results. Signs of depression were found in 24.6% of the patients. This group showed a significantly lower level of satisfaction with their life quality compared to individuals without depression signs and were less adaptable to new prosthetic restorations. Conclusions. Late-life depression (LLD) may considerably affect the outcome of prosthetic treatment, regardless of the type and quality of the restoration provided, by lowering the level of perceived life quality connected with adaptation to new dentures.

Download Full-text

Refining Evidence-Based Treatments for Late-Life Depression

GeroPsych ◽

10.1024/1662-9647/a000127 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 28 (2) ◽

pp. 67-76

Author(s):

Grace C. Niu ◽

Patricia A. Arean

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Brain Plasticity ◽

Late Life ◽

Aging Population ◽

The United States ◽

Future Research ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Late Life Depression ◽

Evidence Based Treatments

The recent increase in the aging population, specifically in the United States, has raised concerns regarding treatment for mental illness among older adults. Late-life depression (LLD) is a complex condition that has become widespread among the aging population. Despite the availability of behavioral interventions and psychotherapies, few depressed older adults actually receive treatment. In this paper we review the research on refining treatments for LLD. We first identify evidence-based treatments (EBTs) for LLD and the problems associated with efficacy and dissemination, then review approaches to conceptualizing mental illness, specifically concepts related to brain plasticity and the Research Domain Criteria (RDoc). Finally, we introduce ENGAGE as a streamlined treatment for LLD and discuss implications for future research.

Download Full-text