Chronic atypical major depressive episode in private practice: unipolar and bipolar II

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Abstract
Objective The aims of the study were to determine whether chronicity was more common in atypical vs. non‐atypical unipolar/bipolar II major depressive episode (MDE), whether atypical unipolar and bipolar II MDE had same chronicity, and to compare chronic with non‐chronic atypical MDE. Method A total of 326 unipolar/bipolar IT MDE private practice outpatients were interviewed with the DSM‐IV Structured Clinical Interview. Results Chronicity was not significantly different in atypical compared to non‐atypical MDE. Unipolar atypical MDE showed more chronicity than bipolar IT atypical MDE and unipolar non‐atypical MDE. Chronicity was not significantly different in atypical compared to non‐atypical bipolar TI MDE. Compared to non‐atypical MDE, atypical MDE had significantly lower age at onset, more recurrences and more bipolar IT patients. Chronic compared to non‐chronic atypical MDE had significantly longer duration, more recurrences and more unipolar patients. Conclusion Unipolar atypical MDE is more chronic than unipolar non‐atypical MDE. Bipolar II atypical MDE is not more chronic than bipolar II non‐atypical MDE.