title: A comparison of the validity of the Cornell Scale and the MADRS in detecting depression among memory clinic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to compare the validity of the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) and the Montgomery-Aasberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) among memory clinic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The scales were independently completed for 125 patients. The diagnosis of depression was made by psychiatrists blinded to the depression scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean score of the Mini-Mental State Examination was 25.5 (SD: 4.6), of the CSDD 6.8 (SD: 4.9), and of the MADRS 8.5 (SD: 6.8). In receiver operation characteristics (ROC) analyses, the AUC for the CSDD was 0.73 (95% CI: 0.63-0.82) using the International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10) criteria for depression, and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.57-0.79) using the DSM-IV criteria. The AUC was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.81-0.95) for the MADRS using the ICD-10 criteria, and 0.84 (95% CI: 0.76-0.92) using the DSM-IV criteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both scales are suitable as screening tools. According to the ROC analyses, the MADRS seems better at distinguishing depressed from nondepressed patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Ullevaal, Norway.
authors.forename: Anne-Brita
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Knapskog
authors.forename: Maria Lage
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Barca
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Engedal
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D019540:Area Under Curve; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009735:Nursing Homes; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results