Medical Illness, Past Depression, and Present Depression: A Predictive Triad for In-Hospital Mortality

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The authors’ objectives were to determine 1) whether major depressive disorder diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria modified for the medically ill predicted in-hospital mortality better than major depressive disorder diagnosed according to inclusive DSM-IV criteria and 2) whether a history of depression and current depression predicted mortality independent of severity of physical illness. METHOD: Of 392 consecutive medical inpatients, 241 were interviewed within the first 3 days of admission and 151 were excluded from the study. Chart review and a clinical interview that included the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia were used to determine demographic variables, past psychiatric history, psychiatric diagnoses, and illness measures. Diagnoses included major depressive disorder and minor depression diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria that included all symptoms regardless of etiology and according to criteria modified for the medically ill (hopelessness, depression, or anhed...