Association between quality of life and clinical symptoms in patients with the first-episode depression / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

【Objective】 To study the relationship between quality of life and clinical symptoms of patients with the first-episode depression. 【Methods】 The untreated patients (n=36) with the first-episode depression and the depression patients (n=71) on drug treatment were included according to the strict screening and exclusion criteria. Subjects in control group (n=59), who matched in age, gender and education, were included according to the corresponding enrollment criteria. World Health Organization Quality of Life—Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) and The Social Adaptation Self-evaluation Scale (SASS) were used to evaluate all the subjects. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), The Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) were used to evaluate the depressive patients. 【Results】 There was no significant difference in age or education level between all the groups. The quality of life was significantly lower in the first group and the treatment group than in the control group; no significant difference was found between patients in the two depression groups. Correlation analysis showed that the total scores of physiology, environment and quality of life in the first group and the treatment group were negatively correlated with HAMD, HAMA and MADRS. SASS was positively correlated with the total scores of physiology, psychology, environment and quality of life. 【Conclusion】 The quality of life and social adaptation of patients with the first-episode depression and those with depression after treatment were significantly reduced. More serious depression symptoms are linked to the worse quality of life, while better social adaptation is linked to the better quality of life.