Different manifestation of depressive disorder in the elderly.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the clinical manifestation of depressive disorder in elderly, and younger adults.


METHODS
To compare the clinical manifestation of depressive disorder, we evaluate 46 elderly (33 female, and 13 male, mean age 71.1) and 60 younger adults (40 female, and 20 male, mean age 44.5 years). All patients suffering from depressive disorders according to ICD-10. For evaluation and comparison of depressive symptomatology we used the HAM-D-17. The results analysed by the SPSS.


RESULTS
The clinical manifestation of depression is different in the elderly. Elderly depressed patients compared with their younger counterparts, scored significantly less in Depressed mood, but significantly higher in Work and activities, Retardation, Somatic symptoms-general, Hypochondriasis, Insomnia-middle, Insomnia-late, Anxiety-somatic, and Somatic symptoms-gastrointestinal. On the other hand, younger patients scored significantly higher in Feelings of guilt, and Genital symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical presentation of depressive disorder is different in the elderly, depressed mood is often absent or masked. Anxiety, somatization, and hypochondriasis are more often present in the elderly depressed patients than in younger patients. The elderly people are also more likely than their younger counterparts to complain of insomnia.
Shahpesandy
Homayun
H
Department of Psychiatry, General Hospital of Liptovsky Mikulas, Slovak Republic. shahpesandy@pobox.sk
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006998:Hypochondriasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology