The prognosis of undetected depression in older general practice patients. A one year follow-up study

BACKGROUND: Late-life depression often remains undetected in primary care. However, as there is evidence that GPs do identify those with the most severe and persistent disorders, it is important to know more about the prognosis of depressive disorders that are not detected by GPs. METHODS: A one-year follow-up study of depressed patients of 55 years and older consulting their GP in The Netherlands. A two-stepped screening procedure was used to diagnose depression using the GDS-15 and PRIME-MD. GPs and patients were not informed about the results. The course of depression was measured with the MADRS and PRIME-MD, at six and twelve months. Remission was defined by no longer fulfilling DSM-criteria for depressive disorder and a MADRS-score below 10. The prognosis of those not detected by GPs was compared to those that were detected. RESULTS: 73 patients were followed for one year. Among the 49 (67%) patients that were not detected by their GP as being depressed, 33% had remitted after one year. Of the 24 (33%) depressed patients that were detected by their GP, 37% had remitted after one year. Detected patients tended to have more serious depression and more comorbid anxiety than undetected patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although GPs identify older depressed patients who are most in need of treatment, the prognosis of patients that go undetected is poo

The prognosis of depression in older patients in general practice and the community. A systematic review

Background. Little is known about the prognosis of depression in older patients in general practice or the community. Objectives. To summarize available evidence on the course and prognostic factors of depression in older persons. Methods. We conducted a systematic, computerized search of Medline and PsycINFO. Manual search of references of included studies were done. Studies potentially eligible for inclusion were discussed by two reviewers. Methodological quality was independently assessed by two reviewers. Data regarding selection criteria, duration of follow-up, outcome of depression and prognostic factors were extracted. Results. We identified 40 studies reporting on four cohorts in general practice and 17 in the community. Of all, 67% were of high quality. Follow-up was up to 1 year in general practice and up to 10 years in the community. Information on treatment was hardly provided. About one in three patients developed a chronic course. Five cohorts used more than two measurements during follow-up, illustrating a fluctuating course of depression. Using a best evidence synthesis we summarized the value of prognostic indicators. General practice studies did not provide strong evidence for any factor. Community studies provided strong evidence for an association of baseline depression level, older age, external locus of control, somatic co-morbidity and functional limitations with persistent depression. Conclusion. Within the older population, age seems to be a negative prognostic factor, while older people are more likely to be exposed to most of the other prognostic factors identified

The prognosis of depression in older patients in general practice and the community. A systematic review.

Background. Little is known about the prognosis of depression in older patients in general practice or the community. Objectives. To summarize available evidence on the course and prognostic factors of depression in older persons. Methods. We conducted a systematic, computerized search of Medline and PsycINFO. Manual search of references of included studies were done. Studies potentially eligible for inclusion were discussed by two reviewers. Methodological quality was independently assessed by two reviewers. Data regarding selection criteria, duration of follow-up, outcome of depression and prognostic factors were extracted. Results. We identified 40 studies reporting on four cohorts in general practice and 17 in the community. Of all, 67% were of high quality. Follow-up was up to 1 year in general practice and up to 10 years in the community. Information on treatment was hardly provided. About one in three patients developed a chronic course. Five cohorts used more than two measurements during follow-up, illustrating a fluctuating course of depression. Using a best evidence synthesis we summarized the value of prognostic indicators. General practice studies did not provide strong evidence for any factor. Community studies provided strong evidence for an association of baseline depression level, older age, external locus of control, somatic co-morbidity and functional limitations with persistent depression. Conclusion. Within the older population, age seems to be a negative prognostic factor, while older people are more likely to be exposed to most of the other prognostic factors identified

Depression in older persons with versus without vascular disease in the open population: similar depressive symptom patterns, more disability.

Clinical studies suggest that vascular depression presents with typical symptom patterns. The aim of the present study is to examine whether depressed older persons in the open population with and without vascular disease show different symptom patterns. In the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA), a depressed cohort with (n=114) and without (n=292) vascular disease was identified. Depression was measured using self-reports (CES-D). Vascular disease was confirmed or ruled out using a combination of self-reported data, medication use and reports from general practitioners. No significant differences were found in depressive symptom patterns, in symptom clusters nor individual items of the CES-D. Depressed subjects with vascular disease showed much more disability than those without vascular disease. Age of onset of depression did not show statistically significant difference. From our study in the open population, there is no evidence to support the hypothesis that depressed older persons with vascular disease have a distinct depressive symptom profile, but they do show more disability