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Table 2 Characteristics of cases with (non-)chronic depression during the lifetime in clinical and population-based samples

From: Persistent depressive disorder across the adult lifespan: results from clinical and population-based surveys in Germany

 

Cases with PDD in clinical sample1

(n = 45)

Cases with PDD in DEGS1-MH2

(n = 179)

Cases with NCMDD in DEGS1-MH

(n = 205)

p-value5

Age of disorder onset < 21 years3, % (95% CI)

73.3 (58.0–84.5)

24.7 (18.2–32.6)

32.2 (23.8–41.9)

0.192

Thoughts of death/suicide, or suicide plans/attempts3, % (95% CI)

95.5 (82.8–98.9)

86.4 (78.7–91.6)

86.2 (77.6–91.8)

0.960

Attempted suicide3, % (95% CI)

36.4 (23.2–52.0)

16.2 (9.2–26.8)

11.7 (6.9–19.3)

0.393

Self-reported depression course3, % (95% CI)

   

< 0.001

 Single episode, remitted

–

2.3 (0.9–5.4)

17.7 (10.4–28.3)

 

 Single episode, acute

–

5.7 (2.7–11.7)

4.0 (1.6–9.9)

 

 Recurring episodes

2.3 (0.3–15.5)

20.9 (14.4–29.3)

55.1 (45.0–64.8)

 

 Single episode, chronic course

25.0 (14.1–40.4)

24.3 (14.9–36.9)

5.9 (3.1–10.9)

 

 Persistent depressive course

50.0 (35.1–64.9)

24.6 (16.9–34.4)

2.0 (0.5–7.9)

 

 Double depression

15.9 (7.5–30.5)

19.3 (12.4–28.8)

11.9 (6.4–21.3)

 

 Other

6.8 (2.1–19.9)

2.9 (0.9–9.4)

3.5 (1.1–9.9)

 

No. of episodes3, mean (95% CI)

2.8 (1.9–3.6)

13.7 (8.4–19.0)

7.4 (5.1–9.7)

< 0.001

No. of comorbid mental disorders (lifetime)4, % (95% CI)

   

0.071

 0

46.7 (32.2–61.7)

28.7 (20.8–38.2)

36.9 (28.0–46.7)

 

 1

33.3 (20.8–48.8)

28.9 (21.7–37.5)

37.4 (29.0–46.8)

 

 2

13.3 (5.9–27.3)

31.0 (21.8–42.0)

16.4 (10.5–24.8)

 

  ≥ 3

6.7 (2.1–19.4)

11.4 (6.2–20.1)

9.3 (5.0–16.6)

 

Current depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 ≥ 10), % (95% CI)

66.7 (51.2–79.2)

44.9 (35.1–55.1)

18.6 (12.1–27.5)

< 0.001

No. of psychotherapeutic treatments (lifetime)

   

0.271

 0

–

87.2 (76.3–93.5)

92.6 (86.6–96.0)

 

 1

9.1 (2.8–2.6)

10.1 (4.7–20.3)

6.5 (3.3–12.6)

 

  ≥ 2

90.9 (74.1–97.2)

2.7 (1.1–6.7)

0.9 (0.3–2.4)

 

No. of antidepressant medications (lifetime)

   

0.674

 0

2.4 (0.3–16.2)

79.5 (71.7–85.6)

75.1 (66.2–82.3)

 

 1

16.7 (7.9–31.8)

11.4 (7.4–17.1)

12.7 (7.8–20.1)

 

  ≥ 2

81.0 (65.6–90.5)

9.1 (5.1–15.9)

12.2 (7.0–20.3)

 
  1. CI confidence interval, PDD persistent depressive disorder, NCMDD non-chronic major depressive disorder, SCID I Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, CIDI Composite International Diagnostic Interview
  2. 1Clinical Sample at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin: 2018–2019; n = 45 re-participants based on n = 60 patients who participated in inpatient treatment with the Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP [40]), age range: 24–66 years
  3. 2German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults, mental health module (DEGS1-MH): 2009–2012, weighted for population structure as of 31st December 2010; age range: 18–79 years; n = 4408 with full CIDI mood disorders section
  4. 3Based on CIDI
  5. 4Based on SCID I or CIDI diagnoses of panic disorder, agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, specific phobias, obsessive–compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, pain and somatoform disorders, substance abuse and dependence (excluding nicotine), anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder
  6. 5p-value based on Rao–Scott chi-square test for categorical variables and based on Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney test for continuous variables in DEGS1-MH. Bold type indicates significant differences between subjects with PDD and NCMDD in DEGS1-MH (local significance level α = 0.01)
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BMC Psychiatry

ISSN: 1471-244X

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