Clinical correlates of anxious depression among elderly patients with depression.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical correlates of comorbid anxiety and depression in a sample of older patients with major depression.


METHODS
352 patients aged 59 and older with major depression were enrolled in the Study of Depression in Later Life at Duke University, of whom 148 met criteria for lifetime generalized anxiety disorder. Participants completed self-report assessments of performance in basic and instrumental activities of daily living, social support, suicidal ideation, life satisfaction, and stressful life events. Cognitive assessment was done with the Mini-Mental State Examination.


RESULTS
The prevalence of lifetime anxiety in our depressed sample was 42%. Patients with anxious depression were significantly younger, and had greater suicidal ideation, more impairment of subjective social support, and more severe depressive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
In elderly patients with anxious depression, psychosocial support and suicidal ideation should be assessed. Whether improvement of subjective social support leads to reduction in anxious depression should be investigated.
Jeste
Neelum D
ND
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Nursing, Duke University Medical Center, Geriatric, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Hays
Judith C
JC
Steffens
David C
DC
D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011584:Psychology; D012944:Social Support; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires