Depression and mortality in elders referred for geriatric psychiatry consultation.
OBJECTIVE
The association between depressive symptoms and mortality was assessed in a 7-year longitudinal follow-up of subjects referred for geropsychiatric consultation.


METHODS
The medical records of 89 referrals were reviewed. Survival analysis was performed on subjects stratified by Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and residential status.


RESULTS
Fifty percent of subjects with GDS > 6 (n = 28) died by 19 months versus 54 months for subjects with GDS < 7 (n = 61) (chi2 = 13.2, df = 1, P < .001). GDS, medical burden, age, and gender were independently associated with survival.


CONCLUSIONS
GDS scores greater than 6 are associated with increased risk of mortality in elders referred for geropsychiatric consultation.
Royall
Donald R
DR
Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA. royall@uthscsa.edu
Schillerstrom
Jason E
JE
Piper
Paul K
PK
Chiodo
Laura K
LK
D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology