Prospective Long-Term Follow-Up of Depressed Patients With and Without Suicide Attempts

This 4-6 year prospective follow-up study compared 48 reactive depressives with & 24 without suicide attempts before index admission. Both groups showed a favourable course & outcome concerning psychiatric diagnoses, psychopathology, social integration, & social functioning as well as displaying a nearly identical course & outcome. In both groups, 2 patients made suicide attempts during the follow-up period. 1 male patient from the group with suicide attempts died by suicide & another was a probable suicide. (44 refs.) JA