title: Prevalence of major depression in ALS: comparison of a semi-structured interview and four self-report measures.
abstract: This study aimed to compare prevalence estimates of current major depression obtained with a semi-structured interview and four frequently used self-report depression severity measures in a sample of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. Thirty-seven ALS patients (56.8% males) aged 37-80 years (mean 62.0 ± 10.7) without respiratory insufficiency or dementia were studied during hospitalization or on a follow-up visit. SCID-IV interview as well as self-report Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), ALS Depression Inventory (ADI), Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale (CES-D) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-I) were administered. Kappa coefficients of diagnostic agreement between various instruments were calculated. Results showed that 37.8% of patients had a lifetime diagnosis of depression and in 13.5% depression followed ALS onset. Percentages of patients 'diagnosed' with current major depression were: 21.6% (SCID-IV), 16.7% (HADS-D ≥ 11), 16.2% (ADI ≥ 29), 25% (CES-D ≥ 24) and 24.3% (BDI-I ≥ 16). High kappa values were recorded between CES-D, BDI-I and SCID-IV as well as between HADS-D and ADI. CES-D, BDI-I and SCID-IV gave the highest prevalence estimates of current major depression in ALS patients and were in poor agreement with estimates based on HADS and ADI; it is suggested that this is possibly because the former give a far greater emphasis on physical symptoms of depression than the latter.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Psychiatry, University of Athens, Eginition Hospital, Greece. pferentinos@med.uoa.gr
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferentinos
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Paparrigopoulos
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rentzos
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zouvelou
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alexakis
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Evdokimidis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires