THE CLINICAL COURSE AS A RISK FACTOR FOR CHRONIC DEPRESSION - RESULTSFROM A 6-YEAR FOLLOW-UP-STUDY

A 6-year follow-up study of unipolar depressive inpatients shows a hig h percentage of 26% of patients with a chronic course. The chronic pat ients have significant longer phases of depression in the history of t heir illness or in the index episode and a longer hospitalisation in t he index episode. Patients with chronic course have although more ofte n a first episode before the age of 25 years, were less suicidal by ad mission to hospital and show less improvement from admission to discha rge. The study shows, that although not all aspects of the clinical co urse are related with chronicity, the duration of depressive phases is a good predictor for a chronic course.