Can a one-item mood scale do the trick? Predicting relapse over 5.5-years in recurrent depression.
BACKGROUND
To examine whether a simple Visual Analogue Mood Scale (VAMS) is able to predict time to relapse over 5.5-years.


RESULTS
187 remitted recurrently depressed out-patients were interviewed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) and the 17-item Hamilton Depression rating scale (HAM-D) to verify remission status (HAM-D <10). All patients rated their current mood with the help of a Visual Analogue Mood Scale (VAMS) at baseline and at a follow-up assessment three months later. Relapse over 5.5-years was assessed by the SCID-I. Cox regression revealed that both the VAMS at baseline and three months later significantly predicted time to relapse over 5.5-years. Baseline VAMS even predicted time to relapse when the number of previous depressive episodes and HAM-D scores were controlled for. The baseline VAMS explained 6.3% of variance in time to relapse, comparable to the HAM-D interview.


CONCLUSIONS
Sad mood after remission appears to play a pivotal role in the course of depression. Since a simple VAMS predicted time to relapse, the VAMS might be an easy and time-effective way to monitor mood and risk of early relapse, and offers possibilities for daily monitoring using e-mail and SMS.


BACKGROUND
International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Register Identifier: ISRCTN68246470.
Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Gerard D
GD
van Rijsbergen
Claudi L H
CL
Bockting
Matthias
M
Berking
Maarten W J
MW
Koeter
Aart H
AH
Schene
D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales