The WHO Depression Scale RELATIONSHIP TO THE NEWCASTLE SCALES

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Abstract
The WHO Depression Scale is a new rating scale developed to evaluate the complete clinical history and description of depression. Items of the WHO scale were transformed to cover the items of the 2 Newcastle scales that are designed to differentiate between endogenous and non-endogenous depressions. In 98 depressed inpatients examined prior to antidepressive therapy only moderate agreement between scores transformed to the 2 Newcastle scales was found. Also the distribution patterns of the scores on the 2 scales were different. In patients classified as endogenous on one or both scales a significant relationship between plasma levels of imipramine or clomipramine and antidepressive effect was found. In patients classified on both scales as doubtful, or non-endogenous depressions, no such correlation could be identified. The initial severity of depression, as defined by the Hamilton Depression Scale, was the same in endogenous, doubtful and non-endogenous depression according to the scores transformed to the 2 Newcastle scales.

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