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Comparison of the clinical features of patients with early-onset and late-onset treatment-resistant depression

LIAO Li-wei, WU Zhi-guo, CAO Lan, CHEN Jun, YUAN Cheng-mei, HONG Wu, ZHANG Chen, PENG Dai-hui, WANG Yong, FANG Yi-ru   

  1. Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200030, China
  • Online:2014-04-28 Published:2014-05-13
  • Supported by:
    the“10th Five-year Plan” of National Key Technoloogy R&D program, 2004BA720A21-02; National High-tech R&D Program, 2006AA02Z430; the “12th Five-year Plan” of National Key Technologies R&D Program, 2012BAI01B04; National Key Clinical Disciplines at Shanghai Mental Health Center, OMA-MH, 2011-873; Medical
    Guidance Project of Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, 134119b0400

Abstract:

Objective To compare the clinical features of patients with early-onset and late-onset treatment-resistant depression. Methods Three hundred and seventy adult patients with treatment-resistant depression were divided into the early-onset group (n=193) and late-onset group (n=177) by the median method. The clinical features of two groups were compared and analyzed. Results Compared to the late-onset group, the proportions of male, introverts, and patients who completed nine-year voluntary education of early-onset group were higher (P<0.001) and the current episodes were longer, i.e. (17.32±25.94) months and (12.47±18.42) months, respectively (P=0.015). Compared to the early-onset group, the proportion of married patients, Hamilton depressive scale-17 items (HAMD-17) scores of depression level, and factor sleep disorder scores of late-onset group were all significantly increased (P<0.001), and the proportion of physical comorbidities was much higher (P=0.008). Conclusion The clinical features of patients with early-onset and late-onset treatment-resistant depression are different. The differences may be relevant to the potential pathophysiological mechanisms.

Key words: early-onset, late-onset, treatment-resistant depression, clinical features