A 3.5-year naturalistic follow-up study of depressed out-patients

Outcome studies of patients suffering from depression indicate high relapse rates and a tendency towards chronicity. The present study describes the l ong-term outcome of 95 depressed outpatients in a third-level referral cent re, and examines the relationship between baseline-variables (age, sex, lev el of psychopathology, age at onset of first psychiatric disorder, duration of illness at baseline, diagnosis) and outcome variables. After 3.5 years, 34 patients (36%) had a chronic course, 24 patients (25%) had at least one recurrence and 37 patients (39%) had a non-recurrent course. Chronicity wa s significantly correlated with an early age of onset of the first psychiat ric disorder. a high level of psychopathology and a high level of depressiv e symptoms at baseline. The duration of depression at index did not differe ntiate chronic course from recurrent or non-recurrent course. After 1 year of follow-up patients with recurrence were significantly more likely to sto p antidepressant treatment. The results confirm the great chance for chroni city and recurrence in depression and the need to develop long-term treatme nt programs to prevent relapse. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights r eserved.