title: Recurrent psychotic unipolar depression.
abstract: Evidence is presented to support the validity of recurrent psychotic (or delusional) unipolar depression as a distinct clinical subtype. A combination of antipsychotic and antidepressant medication was effective during hospitalization for 10 of 12 patients so diagnosed, and as prophylaxis in outpatient follow-up for 7 of the 12. Three patients who discontinued their medication decompensated and were rehospitalized. Patients with this disorder are often misdiagnosed as having a schizophrenic or schizoaffective disorder and therefore do not receive the most appropriate chemotherapy. The dexamethasone suppression test can help to confirm the diagnosis in many of these patients and provide a laboratory correlate for clinical improvement.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003702:Delusions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003907:Dexamethasone; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D003907:Dexamethasone