Severity of depressive episodes during the course of depressive disorder

BACKGROUND: It is not clear whether the severity of depressive episodes changes during the course of depressive disorder.

AIMS: To investigate whether the severity of depressive episodes increases during the course of illness.

METHOD: Using a Danish nationwide case register, all psychiatric in-patients and out-patients with a main ICD-10 diagnosis of a single mild, moderate or severe depressive episode at the end of first contact were identified. Patients included in the study were from the period 1994-2003.

RESULTS: A total of 19 392 patients received a diagnosis of a single depressive episode at first contact. The prevalence of severe depressive episodes increased from 25.5% at the first episode to 50.0% at the 15th episode and the prevalence of psychotic episodes increased from 8.7% at the first episode to 25.0% at the 15th episode. The same pattern was found regardless of gender, age at first contact and calendar year.

CONCLUSIONS: The increasing severity of depressive episodes emphasises the importance of early and sustained prophylactic treatment.