Suicide and endogenous depression with somatic symptoms in the Lundby study

The purpose of the study was to elucidate the role played by the so-called masked or somatic depressions in suicide. The records of 28 suicide persons were analyzed concerning depressive symptoms at time of death. The suicide group was drawn from a prospective longitudinal cohort study of 3,563 persons which began in 1947 (the Lunbdy Project) and was followed up during 25 years. All persons had been examined once or twice before the suicide. 14 were considered to have suffered from depression. Irrespective of any reactive factor, most of the depressive persons had symptoms of endogenous type. In 19 out of the 14 persons with depression the clinical picture included also somatic symptoms. The persons with depression had often sought medical advice, though mostly not psychiatrists'. Many of them had been difficult to treat and had shown negativism to medical care. An important suicide prophylactic measure would be to enhance the awareness of hospital clinicians and practitioners of the existence, diagnosis and treatment of endogenous depression.