title: Onset of Depression Inventory (ODI)--assessment of the speed of onset of depressive episodes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The development of a full blown depressive episode may be very rapid, taking less than one hour, or be very slow, taking up to months. In a previous study with outpatients it was found that the majority (58%) of depressive episodes within bipolar affective disorders (BD) develop within one week whereas this is rarely the case (7.4%) in unipolar depression (UD). Apart from a replication of these findings, the present study aimed to investigate the speed of onset in patients with BD compared to UD patients with either a depressive episode (DE) or recurrent depressive disorder (RD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Speed of onset of depression was assessed using the structured patient interview "Onset of Depression Inventory" (ODI). In total, 24 BD patients, 42 patients with a DE and 80 patients with a RD within unipolar affective disorders were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The speed of onset of depressive episodes differed significantly between the three patient groups (Kruskal-Wallis-test: Chi²=12.493, p=0.002): 50% of the BD patients developed a depressive episode within a week, compared with only 16.7% of DE patients and 25.0% of RD patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ODI has not yet been validated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The earlier finding of a faster onset of depressive episodes in BD compared to UD patients is replicated. Clinicians should consider the possibility of a hidden bipolarity in patients who develop a depressive episode within a few days.
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Semmelweisstraße 10, 04103 Leipzig, Germany. maria.strauss@medizin.uni-leipzig.de
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Strauss
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Sander
authors: Roland
authors: R
authors: Mergl
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: Merz
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Schönknecht
authors: Ulrich
authors: U
authors: Hegerl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012008:Recurrence; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors