Effect of somatic comorbidity on alleviation of depressive symptoms.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate whether somatic comorbidity (SC) impedes recovery from depression.


METHODS
The study design was naturalistic. Diagnosis of depression was confirmed by means of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID). Changes in the symptom scales for those patients with somatic comorbidity (n = 75) were compared with corresponding changes in depressive patients without somatic comorbidity (n = 41) in a 6-month follow up.


RESULTS
Measured on the Hamilton and Beck scales, recovery rates of those with SC was only slightly lower to that of the others. The difference was statistically significant only in relation to the Hamilton scale. Forty-four per cent of those with SC and 42% of the other patients recovered from their depression (BDI score < 10 on follow up). Logistic regression analysis showed no independent association between recovery and somatic comorbidity.


CONCLUSIONS
Moderate somatic comorbidity has only a minor effect on recovery from depression.
Viinamäki
H
H
Department of Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital, Finland. heimo.viinamaki@kuh.fi
Tanskanen
A
A
Hintikka
J
J
Haatainen
J
J
Antikainen
R
R
Honkalampi
K
K
Haatainen
K
K
Koivumaa-Honkanen
H
H
Saarinen
P
P
Lehtonen
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011613:Psychotherapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000928:Antidepressive Agents