The Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) task force recommendations for the management of patients with mood disorders and select comorbid medical conditions.
BACKGROUND
Medical comorbidity in patients with mood disorders has become an increasingly important clinical and global public health issue. Several specific medical conditions are associated with an increased risk of mood disorders, and conversely, mood disorders are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with specific medical disorders.


METHODS
To help understand the bidirectional relationship and to provide an evidence-based framework to guide the treatment of mood disorders that are comorbid with medical illness, we have reviewed relevant articles and reviews published in English-language databases (to April 2011) on the links between mood disorders and several common medical conditions, evaluating the efficacy and safety of pharmacologic and psychosocial treatments. The medical disorders most commonly encountered in adult populations (ie, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, cancer, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis C virus, migraine, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and osteoporosis) were chosen as the focus of this review.


RESULTS
Emerging evidence suggests that depression comorbid with several medical disorders is treatable and failure to treat depression in medically ill patients may have a negative effect on medical outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
This review summarizes the available evidence and provides treatment recommendations for the management of comorbid depression in medically ill patients.
Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. rramasub@ucalgary.ca
Rajamannar
R
Ramasubbu
Valerie H
VH
Taylor
Zainab
Z
Samaan
Sanjeev
S
Sockalingham
Madeline
M
Li
Scott
S
Patten
Gary
G
Rodin
Ayal
A
Schaffer
Serge
S
Beaulieu
Roger S
RS
McIntyre
D000328:Adult; D026683:Advisory Committees; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002170:Canada; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology
D000928:Antidepressive Agents