Duration of subsequent episodes and periods of recovery in recurrent major depression.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the duration of subsequent depressive episodes and periods of recovery, and much is based on potentially biased retrospective data. We therefore prospectively assessed whether duration of depressive episodes and recoveries is correlated within subjects and across episodes, and whether duration of subsequent depressive episodes and recoveries increases or decreases over time.


METHODS
From a sample of 267 depressed primary care patients enrolled in a RCT, we identified 279 depressive episodes and 455 recovery periods during a 3-year follow-up. We correlated durations of depressive episodes and of recovery within subjects, and compared within subjects the duration of first depressive episodes after index depression with second and third episodes, and similarly with recovery periods.


RESULTS
No significant correlations were found between duration of depressive episodes or between recovery periods within subjects (Rs ranging from -0.17 to 0.08; all Ps >0.05). Median duration of first and second depressive episodes was 11 (IQR 6-19) and 9 weeks (IQR 5-14). Median duration of first and second recovery periods was 16.5 (IQR 7-31) and 17.5 weeks (IQR 9-32). No significant increase or decrease was observed in duration of consecutive depressive episodes, nor in recovery periods across episodes (all Ps >0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In this prospective study, we found no correlation between duration of depressive episodes or between recovery periods within subjects. Moreover, we found no support for an increase or decrease in subsequent duration of depressive episodes or a decrease in recovery periods across episodes. These findings do not support the notion that experiencing multiple depressive episodes results in a growing vulnerability.
de Jonge
Peter
P
Interdisciplinary Center of Psychiatric Epidemiology, Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, The Netherlands. p.de.jonge@med.umcg.nl
Conradi
Henk Jan
HJ
Kaptein
Kirsten I
KI
Bockting
Claudi L H
CL
Korf
Jakob
J
Ormel
Johan
J
D000328:Adult; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D058006:General Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011570:Psychiatry; D012008:Recurrence; D012017:Referral and Consultation