Course and rate of antidepressant response in the very old.
OBJECTIVE
The authors examined elderly patients with major depression to determine the relationship of current age to treatment response course and success rate.


METHODS
Three studies of elderly depressed patients provided data on antidepressant treatment response in 323 subjects, treated in protocols using either nortriptyline or paroxetine. We grouped the subjects by current age: 'young-old' (59-69, N=163), 'middle-old' (70-75, N=80), and 'older-old' (76-99, N=80). We employed mixed-effect random regression analyses to examine Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression scores over 12 weeks of acute treatment.


RESULTS
Older-old patients responded as quickly and successfully as the young- and middle-old.


CONCLUSIONS
Major depression in the very old can be treated as successfully as in early old age.
Gildengers
Ariel G
AG
The Intervention Research Centers for Late-Life and Mid-Life Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Houck
Patricia R
PR
Mulsant
Benoit H
BH
Pollock
Bruce G
BG
Mazumdar
Sati
S
Miller
Mark D
MD
Dew
Mary Amanda
MA
Frank
Ellen
E
Kupfer
David J
DJ
Reynolds
Charles F
CF
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009661:Nortriptyline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D017374:Paroxetine; D009661:Nortriptyline