Response to treatment of depression in the old and very old

Treatment responses were monitored in 101 depressed patients, ranging in age from 64 to 92 years, hospitalized on a geropsychiatry unit. Forty-six percent of the patients received ECT. Medications were used in the majority of patients. Responses were assessed with both depression inventories (Beck Depression Inventory and Geriatric Depression Scale) and physician-rated global improvement scores. Advanced age was not associated with poor outcome. ECT was the most important variable associated with a good response, regardless of age.