Speed of improvement in sleep disturbance and anxiety compared with core mood symptoms during acute treatment of depression in old age.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to examine the relative speed of improvement in sleep disturbance and anxiety symptoms compared with core mood symptoms in acute treatment of late-life major depression.


METHODS
The authors conducted secondary analysis of acute treatment data in 470 older patients treated in three federally funded studies. The authors compared rates of improvement in three Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression symptom clusters after stratification by study.


RESULTS
Anxiety symptoms improved more slowly with antidepressant monotherapy and with combined pharmacotherapy/psychotherapy, whereas sleep symptoms improved at a similar rate as core mood symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Anxiety symptoms tend to persist in patients with late-life depression.
Dombrovski
Alexandre Y
AY
Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
Blakesley-Ball
Richard E
RE
Mulsant
Benoit H
BH
Mazumdar
Sati
S
Houck
Patricia R
PR
Szanto
Katalin
K
Reynolds
Charles F
CF
D000368:Aged; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D009661:Nortriptyline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D009661:Nortriptyline