title: Preadult onset vs. adult onset of major depressive disorder: a replication study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the first 1500 participants with major depressive disorder (MDD) that entered the sequenced treatment alternatives to relieve depression (STAR*D) study, those with preadult onset MDD were more likely to be women and to have a more chronic, severe and disabling form of depression than those with adult onset MDD. This study seeks to replicate these findings.
  
  
  METHODS
  The second wave of STAR*D enrollees included 2541 out-patients with MDD, divided into preadult (before age 18) and adult (age 18 or later) onset groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants with a preadult onset of MDD (38%) were younger, ill for longer and more likely to be women than those with adult onset MDD (62%). After adjusting for age, duration of illness and gender, participants with preadult onset MDD also had higher rates of family history of depression, more past suicide attempts, and lower rates of obsessive compulsive and panic disorder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preadult onset MDD may be associated with a more familial form of depression with more suicidality than adult onset MDD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego VA Medical Center, San Diego, CA, USA. szisook@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zisook
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rush
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lesser
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Wisniewski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trivedi
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Husain
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Balasubramani
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Alpert
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fava
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires