title: Major depressive disorder: gender differences in symptoms, life quality, and sexual function.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the gender differences of symptoms, life quality, functional impairment, and sexual function of patients with moderately severe major depressive disorder (MDD).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred forty-six outpatients with MDD were enrolled into this study with specific selection criteria (male, 57; female, 89; mean ± SD age, 38.30 ± 11.69 years). All the patients self-rated the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology--Self-Report (QIDS-SR16) and the Integral Inventory for Depression (IID) for the assessment of symptoms assessment as well as the EuroQol life quality scale (EQ5D) was for the subjective life quality, the Sheehan disability scale was for the functional impairments, and the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale was for sexual function evaluation. All data were analyzed to estimate correlation and gender difference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Female patients had higher scores of the QIDS-SR16, IID, and Arizona Sexual Experience scales. Significant gender differences of sadness, sleep, appetite, calmness, painful symptoms, and sexual functioning were observed. The female-specific sexual dysfunctions included lower sexual drive, lower sexual arousal, lower horny feelings, lower orgasms, and lower satisfaction of orgasm. The MDD episodes were related to the EuroQol life quality scale and the SDS. Interepisode years were associated with the IID. The Sheehan disability scale was correlated with QIDS-SR16 with statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with MDD showed a correlation between symptoms and functional impairment. Female patients might be more sexually impaired, more vegetative, more depressed, and experiencing more sadness and physical pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Buddhist Tzu-Chi General Hospital, Taipei Branch, Xindian City, Taipei County, Taiwan. t122336257@yahoo.com.tw
authors.forename: Chien-Han
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology