Citation

Xin LM, Chen L, Su YA, Yang FD, Wang G, Fang YR, Lu Z, Yang HC, Hu J, Chen ZY, Huang Y, Sun J, Wang XP, Li HC, Zhang JB, Osser DN, Si TM. J. Affect. Disord. 2018; 246: 285-289.

Affiliation

Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University Sixth Hospital and Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing 100191, China. Electronic address: si.tian-mei@163.com.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jad.2018.12.020

PMID

30594041

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the demographic and clinical features of the atypical subtype of major depressive disorder (MDD) patients in China. This study set out to investigate the prevalence of atypical depression in MDD patients in China, and identify its demographic and clinical features.

METHODS: The study was conducted in 13 major psychiatric hospitals or in the psychiatric units of general hospitals in China, and recruited a sample of 1172 patients diagnosed with MDD. The patients' demographic and clinical features and prescriptions of psychotropic drugs were collected using a standardized questionnaire designed for the study.

RESULTS: The prevalence of atypical depression was 15.3%. In multiple logistic regression analyses, compared to the non-atypical depression patients, the atypical depression patients were more likely to have depressive episodes with suicide ideation and attempts (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.06, 2.10, P = 0.023), depressive episodes with psychotic features (OR = 2.15, 95% CI = 1.43, 3.22, P < 0.001), seasonal depressive episodes (OR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.12, 2.78, P = 0.014), an earlier age of onset (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.96, 0.99, P = 0.001), and lifetime depressive episodes (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.13, P = 0.020). LIMITATIONS: The assessment of atypical features was not based on a validated rating scale.

CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that atypical depression is common in Chinese patients with MDD. MDD with atypical features may be more severe and debilitating than patients with non-atypical features.

Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

A typical depression; Clinical features; Major depressive disorder