Cited by 199Treatment of Major DepressionBipolar Disorder and TreatmentMental Health Treatment and Access

Recovery From Major Depression: A 10-Year Prospective Follow-up Across Multiple Episodes

Solomon, David A.·1997·Archives of General Psychiatry

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder is often marked by repeated episodes of depression. We describe recovery from major depression across multiple mood episodes in patients with unipolar major depression at intake and examine the association of sociodemographic and clinical variables with duration of illness. METHODS: A cohort of 258 subjects treated for unipolar major depressive disorder was followed up prospectively for 10 years as part of the Collaborative Depression Study, a multicenter naturalistic study of the mood disorders. Diagnoses were made according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria, and the course of illness was assessed with the Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation. Survival analyses were used to calculate the duration of illness for the first 5 recurrent mood episodes after recovery from the index episode. RESULTS: Diagnosis remained unipolar major depressive disorder for 235 subjects (91%). The median duration of illness was 22 weeks for the first recurrent mood episode, 20 weeks for the second, 21 weeks for the third, and 19 weeks for the fourth and fifth recurrent mood episodes; the 95% confidence intervals were highly consistent. From one episode to the next, the proportion of subjects who recovered by any one time point was similar. For subjects with 2 or more recoveries, the consistency of duration of illness from one recovery to the next was low to moderate. None of the sociodemographic or clinical variables consistently predicted duration of illness. CONCLUSION: In this sample of patients treated at tertiary care centers for major depressive disorder, the duration of recurrent mood episodes was relatively uniform and averaged approximately 20 weeks.

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Crossref · 10.1001/archpsyc.1997.01830230033005

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Authors
Solomon, D. A.
Affiliations
Brown University (US)
Corresponding author
Solomon, David A.
Venue
Archives of General Psychiatry
Published
1997-11-01
Volume
54
Issue
11
Pages
1001
ISSN
0003-990X (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2040925948
Cited by
199
References
22
Citations by year
2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 6
FWCI
5.35
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Archives of General Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH025478)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Bipolar Disorder and Treatment
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
Keywords
major depressive disorder, recovery from depression, disease duration, clinical course, sociodemographic predictors, clinical predictors
MeSH terms
Adult, Combined Modality Therapy, Depressive Disorder, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Imipramine, Male, Prospective Studies, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychotherapy, Recurrence, Severity of Illness Index, Social Class, Survival Analysis, Marital Status

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