Effects of age at Onset of First Lifetime Episode of Recurrent Major Depression on Treatment Response and Illness Course in Elderly Patients

Treatment outcome differences in relation to age at onset of first lifetime episode of recurrent major depression in elderly patients were examined. 2 groups of patients, early-onset (less than 60 years) & late-onset (60+ years), were studied. Early-onset patients took 5-6 weeks longer to achieve remission than did late-onset patients & a higher proportion had a history of suicide attempts. Results suggest that elderly depressed patients with early-onset illness need particular attention & care.