title: Depressive comorbidity in personality disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to investigate the nature of the associations between PD clusters and MDs, functionality and mental health services use.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a case register study of all cases with a diagnosis of PD detected clinically in a well-defined area in the province of Barcelona covered by 7 Community Mental Health Teams. DSM-IV diagnoses were established by fully trained psychiatrists. Data was also gathered on socio-demographic variables; functional status (GAF) and data on use of health resources, using a systematic computerized method. We performed a non-parametric univariate statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a higher percentage of major depressive disorder (MDD) among cluster C patients (17%), followed by cluster A (10%) and cluster B (9, 8%). As for the comorbidity between PD clusters and dysthymic disorder, we found that the prevalence was higher among cluster B patients (23,7%) than cluster C (20,2%) or cluster A (7,1%). When considering both MDs together, we found the highest prevalence among cluster C patients (36,87%), followed by cluster B (33,5%) and cluster A (17,1%). Cluster A patients showed worse functioning and visited hospitals most.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high comorbidity between all MDs analyzed and personality disorders was found, being particularly prominent among cluster C PDs.
authors.affiliation: CIBERSAM Sant Joan de Déu, Servicios de Salud Mental, Vilanova i la Geltrú, Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vilaplana
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: McKenney
authors.forename: María D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Riesco
authors.forename: Jaume
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Autonell
authors.forename: Jorge A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cervilla