title: Six-year longitudinal course and outcomes of subtypes of depression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical and aetiological heterogeneity have impeded our understanding of depression.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate differences in psychiatric and somatic course between people with depression subtypes that differed clinically (severity) and aetiologically (melancholic v. atypical).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from baseline, 2-, 4- and 6-year follow-up of The Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety were used, and included 600 controls and 648 people with major depressive disorder (subtypes: severe melancholic n = 308; severe atypical n = 167; moderate n = 173, established using latent class analysis).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Those with the moderate subtype had a significantly better psychiatric clinical course than the severe melancholic and atypical subtype groups. Suicidal thoughts and anxiety persisted longer in those with the melancholic subtype. The atypical subtype group continued to have the highest body mass index and highest prevalence of metabolic syndrome during follow-up, although differences between groups became less pronounced over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Course trajectories of depressive subtypes mostly ran parallel to each other, with baseline severity being the most important differentiator in course between groups.
authors: F. Lamers, A. T. F. Beekman, Department of Psychiatry and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Center, Amsterdam; A. M. van Hemert, Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden; R. A. Schoevers, Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen; B. W. J. H. Penninx, Department of Psychiatry and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands f.lamers@ggzingeest.nl.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Lamers
authors: F. Lamers, A. T. F. Beekman, Department of Psychiatry and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Center, Amsterdam; A. M. van Hemert, Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden; R. A. Schoevers, Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen; B. W. J. H. Penninx, Department of Psychiatry and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: A T F
authors: AT
authors: Beekman
authors: F. Lamers, A. T. F. Beekman, Department of Psychiatry and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Center, Amsterdam; A. M. van Hemert, Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden; R. A. Schoevers, Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen; B. W. J. H. Penninx, Department of Psychiatry and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: A M
authors: AM
authors: van Hemert
authors: F. Lamers, A. T. F. Beekman, Department of Psychiatry and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Center, Amsterdam; A. M. van Hemert, Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden; R. A. Schoevers, Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen; B. W. J. H. Penninx, Department of Psychiatry and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: R A
authors: RA
authors: Schoevers
authors: F. Lamers, A. T. F. Beekman, Department of Psychiatry and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Center, Amsterdam; A. M. van Hemert, Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden; R. A. Schoevers, Department of Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen; B. W. J. H. Penninx, Department of Psychiatry and EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: B W J H
authors: BW
authors: Penninx
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D059020:Suicidal Ideation