CHRONIC DEPRESSION - A CASE SERIES OF 203 OUTPATIENTS TREATED AT A PRIVATE-PRACTICE

Objective: To determine the prevalence of chronic depression among out patients seen for depression. Design: Case series. Setting: Private pr actice. Patients: Two hundred and three outpatients with mood disorder s, excluding patients with comorbid substance abuse disorders and seve re personality disorders. Outcome measures: Prevalence rate and patien t variables (diagnosis, age at baseline, age at onset, sex, number of previous episodes of depression, atypical features, psychiatric comorb idity, psychosis, duration of illness and baseline severity). Results: The prevalence of chronic depression was 46.7%, which is higher than previously reported. The number of depressive episodes was higher, the presence of psychotic symptoms was more common and the duration of il lness was longer in patients with chronic depression than in those wit h nonchronic depression. Conclusions: Chronic depression is more sever e than nonchronic depression and is a prevalent illness in outpatients with depression seen in private practice.