Age at onset of major depressive disorder in Han Chinese women: Relationship with clinical features and family history

Abstract

BackgroundIndividuals with early-onset depression may be a clinically distinct group with particular symptom patterns, illness course, comorbidity and family history. This question has not been previously investigated in a Han Chinese population.MethodsWe examined the clinical features of 1970 Han Chinese women with DSM-IV major depressive disorder (MDD) between 30 and 60 years of age across China. Analysis of linear, logistic and multiple logistic regression models was used to determine the association between age at onset (AAO) with continuous, binary and discrete characteristic clinical features of MDD.ResultsEarlier AAO was associated with more suicidal ideation and attempts and higher neuroticism, but fewer sleep, appetite and weight changes. Patients with an earlier AAO were more likely to suffer a chronic course (longer illness duration, more MDD episodes and longer index episode), increased rates of MDD in their parents and a lower likelihood of marriage. They tend to have higher comorbidity with anxiety disorders (general anxiety disorder, social phobia and agoraphobia) and dysthymia.ConclusionsEarly AAO in MDD may be an index of a more severe, highly comorbid and familial disorder. Our findings indicate that the features of MDD in China are similar to those reported elsewhere in the world.

Baseline characteristics of depressive disorders in Thai outpatients: findings from the Thai Study of Affective Disorders

“…In addition, the impact of a family history of depression was found to be similar to that in the study by Kim et al (10% versus 13.8%, respectively), but dissimilar to the Western research undertaken by Nierenberg et al (55.6%)41 and Yang et al (25%–33%) 42. It is difficult to draw definitive conclusions from these results; however, we speculate that this discrepancy may reflect the questionnaire used.…”

Genome-wide Association for Major Depression Through Age at Onset Stratification: Major Depressive Disorder Working Group of the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium

“…The GenPod/NEWMEDS and Harvard i2b2 studies, which appeared in the replication of the primary analysis of this dataset, did not have AAO data available and were not included. Four new replication studies were available: 1) a collection of samples available through the University of Mu¨nster (38, 39); 2) a combination of RADIANT cases from Denmark (40), the Danish DEMO and PRISME studies of MDD (41, 42), and a set of Danish population control subjects; 3) the CONVERGE (China Oxford and VCU Experimental Research on Genetic Epidemiology) study of MDD cases and control subjects recruited in China (18, 43, 44); and 4) the Generation Scotland study, which included measures on MDD (45). These are outlined, alongside the definitions of AAO, in Supplemental Methods.…”

“…These include biological events such as puberty, menopause, and dementia, and environmental risk factors including childhood maltreatment, childbirth, and divorce. Earlier onset is associated with increased risk in first-degree relatives and with higher heritability (14, 15, 16, 17, 18). Considerable differences in the transmission of early- versus late-onset MDD have also been reported (19, 20), with some studies suggesting the effects of novel genetic risk factors for MDD appearing later in life (21, 22).…”

Clarifying the role of neuroticism in suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among women with major depressive disorder

“…Participant age ranged from 30 to 60; MD participants tended to be younger ( M = 44.44, SD = 8.94) than control participants ( M = 47.68, SD = 5.59), t (9824) = 23.47, p < 2.2E-16. Other demographic information on the sample, including those participants who reported suicidality, is provided elsewhere (Yang et al 2011; Bi et al 2012; Gan et al 2012; Zhu et al 2013). …”