Introduction: Late-life major depression (MD) is a frequent and high-cost psychiatric disorder. Our purpose was to detect clinical and biological factors possibly associated with this condition to better prevent and treat it. Methods: We recruited 343 patients, consecutively admitted for a Major Depressive Episode to the inpatient clinic of Policlinico of Milan and ASST Monza, Italy. A large set of clinical and biochemical variables was collected from clinical charts. Univariate analyses were performed both dividing the sample into two groups (age < or ≥65) and considering age as a continuous quantitative variable. Regression analyses were then performed considering as independent variables only those statistically significant at univariate analyses. Results: Patients aged ≥ 65 resulted in having longer duration of illness, shorter duration of last antidepressant therapy, higher number of antidepressants assumed in the past, higher frequency of treatment-resistant depression, higher frequency of overweight/obesity and diabetes. As for biochemical parameters, patients ≥ 65 showed lower total plasmatic proteins and albumin, higher uric acid and creatinine. Conclusions: These preliminary results suggest less effectiveness of antidepressants, more susceptibility to metabolic disorders and poor nutritional status in patients with late-life depression; such aspects may consequently be taken into consideration for a proper therapeutic approach. KEY POINTS Depression in late life seems to be associated with poorer response to antidepressants; Clinicians should prefer compounds with minimal pharmacokinetic interactions and less risk of side effects including metabolic ones; The poor nutritional status and the higher risk of metabolic disorders in older patients points out the importance of proper diet and healthy lifestyle in this group of subjects; Further studies are needed to confirm the results of this research.

Buoli, M., Legnani, F., Nosari, G., Pan, A., Ciappolino, V., Esposito, C., et al. (2023). Which clinical factors and biochemical parameters are associated with late-life major depression?. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, 27(4), 359-366 [10.1080/13651501.2023.2260426].

Which clinical factors and biochemical parameters are associated with late-life major depression?

Auxilia A. M.;Capellazzi M.;Tagliabue I.;Dakanalis A.;Clerici M.;Capuzzi E.;
2023

Abstract

Introduction: Late-life major depression (MD) is a frequent and high-cost psychiatric disorder. Our purpose was to detect clinical and biological factors possibly associated with this condition to better prevent and treat it. Methods: We recruited 343 patients, consecutively admitted for a Major Depressive Episode to the inpatient clinic of Policlinico of Milan and ASST Monza, Italy. A large set of clinical and biochemical variables was collected from clinical charts. Univariate analyses were performed both dividing the sample into two groups (age < or ≥65) and considering age as a continuous quantitative variable. Regression analyses were then performed considering as independent variables only those statistically significant at univariate analyses. Results: Patients aged ≥ 65 resulted in having longer duration of illness, shorter duration of last antidepressant therapy, higher number of antidepressants assumed in the past, higher frequency of treatment-resistant depression, higher frequency of overweight/obesity and diabetes. As for biochemical parameters, patients ≥ 65 showed lower total plasmatic proteins and albumin, higher uric acid and creatinine. Conclusions: These preliminary results suggest less effectiveness of antidepressants, more susceptibility to metabolic disorders and poor nutritional status in patients with late-life depression; such aspects may consequently be taken into consideration for a proper therapeutic approach. KEY POINTS Depression in late life seems to be associated with poorer response to antidepressants; Clinicians should prefer compounds with minimal pharmacokinetic interactions and less risk of side effects including metabolic ones; The poor nutritional status and the higher risk of metabolic disorders in older patients points out the importance of proper diet and healthy lifestyle in this group of subjects; Further studies are needed to confirm the results of this research.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
age; biochemical markers; clinical; features; late life; Unipolar depression;
English
27-set-2023
2023
27
4
359
366
none
Buoli, M., Legnani, F., Nosari, G., Pan, A., Ciappolino, V., Esposito, C., et al. (2023). Which clinical factors and biochemical parameters are associated with late-life major depression?. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, 27(4), 359-366 [10.1080/13651501.2023.2260426].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/471212
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