Does major depressive disorder with somatic delusions constitute a distinct subtype of major depressive disorder with psychotic features?
BACKGROUND
Among patients with major depression with psychotic features, little is known about the extent to which those with and without somatic delusions differ.


METHODS
The first 183 participants in the STOP-PD study were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of somatic delusions and were compared on multiple demographic and clinical characteristics.


RESULTS
In the multivariate analysis, those with somatic delusions reported more somatic symptoms, rated their health as worse, and were less likely to have persecutory delusions.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the methods we used, we could not detect meaningful differences between subjects with and without somatic delusions. This suggests that the presence of irrational somatic ideation does not define a distinct clinical subgroup among patients with psychotic depression. This finding needs to be replicated.
Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic and Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, United States.
Taafoi S
TS
Kamara
Ellen M
EM
Whyte
Benoit H
BH
Mulsant
Catherine
C
Peasley-Miklus
Anthony J
AJ
Rothschild
Alastair J
AJ
Flint
Moonseong
M
Heo
Eros
E
Papademetriou
Erin R
ER
Mathis
Barnett S
BS
Meyers
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015897:Comorbidity; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003702:Delusions / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010259:Paranoid Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology