Possible effect of gender and season on the length of hospitalisation in unipolar major depressives.
BACKGROUND
Seasonal variation as well as gender differences of several phenomena of affective disorders are a common topic of interest.


METHODS
The authors analysed the possible effect of season and gender on the length of hospital stay in 529 in-patients with unipolar major depressive episode.


RESULTS
Age and menopausal status alone did not influence the length of hospitalisation but there was a statistical tendency (only for females) for the shortest hospital stay in summer, that reached significance in females younger than 50 years.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest a possible seasonal and gender effect on recovery from major depression.


CONCLUSIONS
Retrospective nature of the study, lack of systematic assessment of clinical response and no data collection about marital status and living conditions, that also can influence the time of discharge.
Kecskés
István
I
In- and Out-patient Department of Psychiatry No XIII, National Institute for Psychiatry and Neurology, Budapes 27, POB 1, 1281, Hungary.
Rihmer
Zoltán
Z
Kiss
Kitty
K
Vargha
András
A
Szili
Ilona
I
Rihmer
Annamária
A
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012737:Sex Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors