Depressive symptoms in children and adolescents with dysthymic disorder

This report era mines clinical features of 'pure' dysthymic disorder IDD, w ithout superimposed major depressive disorder, MDD) in a sample of children and adolescents. Profiles of symptomatology and comorbidity as a function of age and gender are described, The sample consisted of 48 subjects (22 ma les, 26 females, age range 7-18 years, mean age 12.1 years) screened from c onsecutively referred children and adolescents. All subjects were comprehen sively diagnosed with structured diagnostic interviews (Schedule for Affect ive Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age, Diagnostic Interview for Ch ildren and Adolescents-Revised), according to DSM-IV criteria. Depressed mo od, irritability, loss of energy and fatigue, guilt and low self-esteem wer e present in more than 70% of the subjects, Differences in symptomatic prof ile between males and females were not significant. Children showed less sy mptoms than adolescents, but the symptomatic profile was comparable (only a nhedonia was significantly more frequent in adolescents). Anxiety disorders were more commonly comorbid with DD, especially separation anxiety disorde r in children (33%) and generalised anxiety disorder in adolescents (67%). Externalising disorders were less frequently represented in our sample (14% ), An early diagnosis of 'pure' DD before the first episode of MDD is cruci al for a timely intervention. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.