RESUMO
The authors analyzed data from 42 inpatients age 55 or older with major depression. Ten patients had psychotic depression, and 32 had nonpsychotic depression. There were no significant differences between the two groups in mean age at onset of depression, proportion of patients with previous episodes of depression, frequency of suicidal ideation, or number of family members with serious psychiatric illnesses. Patients with psychotic depression had greater severity of depression and more severe overall psychopathology at admission than the nonpsychotic group. Neuroleptics were used in a majority of the psychotic patients but in none of the nonpsychotic patients, whereas antidepressant use was similar. By the time of discharge, the two groups did not differ in severity of symptoms.
RESUMO
The authors studied physical comorbidity and the number of medications prescribed in all psychiatric outpatients over age 60 seen at Loma Linda VA Medical Center over a 1-year period. Psychiatric diagnoses were based on DSM-III-R. The authors used a chart review and computerized profiles of data on 90 patients (86% male) with a mean age of 67. Patients with schizophrenia had the fewest physical illnesses; patients with depression had the most; and patients with bipolar and anxiety disorders were intermediate. The number of nonpsychotropic medications followed the same trend. Frequency of cancer and mean duration of hypertension and cardiac illness were greater inpatients with depression than in those with schizophrenia.
