J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2015 Aug;54(3):316-321. 10.4306/jknpa.2015.54.3.316.

Comparisons of Depressive Symptoms of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale between Elderly and Non-Elderly Outpatients with Major Depressive Disorder

• Yoo I
• Heo JY
• Kim KW
• Baek JH
• Yoo HJ
• Kim DJ
• Jeon HJ

• KMID: 2035965
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2015.54.3.316

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Previous studies have reported that symptoms of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) are different according to age groups, and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) is the most widely used measure to evaluate the symptoms of MDD. However, few previous studies have compared the symptoms of HDRS between the elderly and non-elderly groups.
METHODS
The study population consisted of 574 subjects with MDD who were > or =18 years old, evaluated using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview and 17 items of HDRS. Differences between two groups were analyzed using independent t-test. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to evaluate associations between age and 17 items from HDRS after controlling for gender, years of education, marital status, and employment status.
RESULTS
Among 574 patients with MDD, there were 80 elderly patients (age> or =65) and 494 non-elderly patients (age between 18 and 64). Elderly patients had higher scores on item 5 (middle insomnia) (t=-2.271, p=0.024) and item 6 (late insomnia) (t=-2.280, p=0.023), whereas they had lower scores on item 1 (depressed mood) (t=2.860, p=0.004), item 3 (suicide) (t=2.258, p=0.024), and item 9 (agitation) (t=2.031, p=0.043), although no significant difference in the total HDRS scores was observed between elderly and non-elderly. Multivariate logistic regression showed significant association of elderly with hypochondriasis [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=1.894, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-3.56] and agitation (AOR=0.50, 95% CI 0.29-0.87).
CONCLUSION
Elderly MDD patients showed more insomnia and hypochondriasis and less depressed mood, suicidal ideation, and agitation than non-elderly.

Keyword

Depression; Elderly; The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; Outpatients

MeSH Terms

Aged*
Depression*
Depressive Disorder, Major*
Dihydroergotamine
Education
Employment
Humans
Hypochondriasis
Logistic Models
Marital Status
Odds Ratio
Outpatients*
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
Suicidal Ideation
Dihydroergotamine

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Mean scores of each item of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale by age groups.

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