Bipolar versus unipolar psychotic outpatient depression.
BACKGROUND
The relationship between bipolar and unipolar psychotic depression has not been well studied. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to compare bipolar with unipolar psychotic outpatient depression.


METHODS
Seventy consecutive unipolar (n = 40) and bipolar (n = 30) psychotic depressed outpatients were interviewed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale, the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale, and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale.


RESULTS
Of the variables studied (age, duration of illness, severity, recurrences, atypical features, chronicity, gender, comorbidity, hallucinations, delusions), none was significantly different between unipolar and bipolar psychotic patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Bipolar psychotic depression was similar to unipolar psychotic depression on variables reported in the literature to distinguish bipolar from unipolar disorder.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings might suggest, but do not necessarily imply, that psychotic depression might be a distinct clinical entity.


CONCLUSIONS
Single interviewer, nonblind cross-sectional assessment, outpatient sample, sample size.
Benazzi
F
F
Department of Psychiatry, Public Hospital Morgagni, Forlì, Italy. f.benazzi@fo.nettuno.it
D000328:Adult; D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales