The prognostic relevance of delusions in depression: a follow-up study

To determine whether delusional depression has a different clinical course from other types of depression, the authors followed up 31 unipolar delusional depressed patients, 28 unipolar nonpsychotic depressed patients, and 51 schizophrenic patients 14 months after hospital discharge. Patients were assessed on 1) overall outcome, 2) psychotic, anxiety-neurotic, and depressive symptoms, 3) social and work functioning, and 4) rehospitalization. The delusional depressed patients showed significantly more mood-incongruent delusions at follow-up. Surprisingly, the nonpsychotic depressed patients exhibited more depressed mood and significantly more anxiety at follow-up. The findings suggest that the diagnostic distinction between delusional and nonpsychotic depression is relevant to the clinical course of major depression.