Evaluation and monitoring of symptom severity and change in depressed outpatients

The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), and the Carroll Rating Scale (CRS) were applied to 52 depressed outpatients upon first examination and after 12 and 24 weeks drug therapy. Both total scores and scores for specific symptoms were compared. The three scales agreed as regards both the evaluation of acute phase severity and the detection of symptom changes during treatment. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.