Changes in the frequency distribution pattern of body weight in patients with major depression

To compare the frequency distribution of body weight of the depressed patients with that of a standard group and to evaluate the change in distribution during treatment, body weight was measured in 106 depressed inpatients with major depressive disorder as defined by DSM-III criteria both on admission and on discharge. The body weight distribution in the depressed patients skewed towards a high frequency of lower weights on admission but shifted to the normal pattern on discharge. In women, this tendency was more obvious and was statistically significant. The body weight distribution in the depressed patients with melancholia maintained high frequencies of lower body weight on discharge, while that in those without melancholia did not, suggesting that there could be a difference in the pattern of body weight distributions between those with endogenous and nonendogenous depression. Three tricyclic antidepressants examined (imipramine, clomipramine and desipramine) did not seem to have the side effect of pathological weight gain in the frequency distribution pattern.