Two year follow-up of atypical depression

The symptom cluster of Atypical Depression (AD) has been characterized base d on its presentation and selective response to pharmacological treatments, while relatively little is known about the outcome of these patients after treatment trials. The present study was undertaken to assess the long term outcome of 40 patients after a controlled treatment trial of fluoxetine vs phenelzine. Twenty five of these subjects were interviewed approximately t wo years after completion of the initial trial. They reported a high freque ncy of symptom recurrence, but generally little symptomatic or social impai rment between episodes. Eighteen subjects were laking antidepressants at fo llow-up. A higher frequency of depressive episodes was recorded during the times when off antidepressant medications. Overall outcome was rated as mod erate or good in the majority of subjects. These results suggest that AD pr esents from similarities with other subtypes of depression, with high rates of symptomatic recurrence and lasting response to chronic antidepressant t reatment. Conversely, social functioning and overall outcome appear more fa vorable in AD. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.