This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Analysis With the Life Table and Regression Models

Martin B. Keller, MD; Robert W. Shapiro, MD; Philip W. Lavori, PhD; Nicola Wolfe

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1982;39(8):905-910.

Abstract
• Regression models and life tables were used to describe the phenomenon of recovery from major depressive disorder for 101 patients in a naturalistic study in which treatment was not controlled by the investigators. Time to recovery from the onset of the episode was protracted, as only about 50% of patients recovered by one year. Annual rates of recovery then declined steadily to 28% in the second year, 22% in the third year, and 18% in the fourth year. In contrast, speed of recovery from entry into the study was more rapid, and 63% of patients recovered by four months. The recovery rates were about 20% each month for the first four months and then declined sharply for the remaining months of the one-year follow-up. Several clinical variables were statistically significant predictors of recovery when measured from entry into the study: superimposition of the acute episode on a chronic underlying depression, acuteness of onset of the depression, and severity of depression for the subgroup of patients without superimposed illness.

Author Affiliations
From the Collaborative Program on the Psychobiology of Depression, Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Md. Dr Keller and Ms Wolfe are at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. Dr Lavori is at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Aug 19, 1981.

Dr Shapiro died in October 1980.

Reprint requests to Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114 (Dr Keller).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Depression in Late Life: Review and Commentary
Blazer
Focus 2009;7:118-136.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Descriptive and Longitudinal Observations on the Relationship of Borderline Personality Disorder and Bipolar Disorder
Gunderson et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2006;163:1173-1178.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Pharmacologic Management of Difficult-to-Treat Depression in Clinical Practice
Fleck and Horwath
Psychiatr. Serv. 2005;56:1005-1011.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Relationship of Variability in Residual Symptoms With Recurrence of Major Depressive Disorder During Maintenance Treatment
Karp et al.
Focus 2005;3:161-169.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Relationship of Variability in Residual Symptoms With Recurrence of Major Depressive Disorder During Maintenance Treatment
Karp et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2004;161:1877-1884.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

What was the Mental Disease that Afflicted King Saul?
Ben-Noun
Clinical Case Studies 2003;2:270-282.
ABSTRACT  

Depression in Late Life: Review and Commentary
Blazer
Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 2003;58:M249-265.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Duration of major depressive episodes in the general population: results from The Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS)
SPIJKER et al.
Br. J. Psychiatry 2002;181:208-213.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Predictors of Early Recovery From Major Depression Among Persons Admitted to Community-Based Clinics: An Observational Study
Meyers et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 2002;59:729-735.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Chronic, treatment-resistant depression and right fronto-striatal atrophy
SHAH et al.
Br. J. Psychiatry 2002;180:434-440.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Continuation and maintenance therapy in depression
Paykel
Br Med Bull 2001;57:145-159.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Time to recovery of an inception cohort with hitherto untreated unipolar major depressive episodes
FURUKAWA et al.
Br. J. Psychiatry 2000;177:331-335.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Lost Human Capital From Early-Onset Chronic Depression
Berndt et al.
Am. J. Psychiatry 2000;157:940-947.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Recovery After 5 Years of Unremitting Major Depressive Disorder
Mueller et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1996;53:794-799.
ABSTRACT  

DSM-III Mental Disorders in General Medical Sector: Predictors of Outcome
Ceroni et al.
Int J Soc Psychiatry 1996;42:45-57.
ABSTRACT  

Functioning and Well-being Outcomes of Patients With Depression Compared With Chronic General Medical Illnesses
Hays et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1995;52:11-19.
ABSTRACT  

Course of Depressive Symptoms Over Follow-up: Findings From the National Institute of Mental Health Treatment of Depression Collaborative Research Program
Shea et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1992;49:782-787.
ABSTRACT  

The Course of Depression in Adult Outpatients: Results From the Medical Outcomes Study
Wells et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1992;49:788-794.
ABSTRACT  

The Course of Major Depression in the Offspring of Depressed Parents: Incidence, Recurrence, and Recovery
Warner et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1992;49:795-801.
ABSTRACT  

Time to Recovery, Chronicity, and Levels of Psychopathology in Major Depression: A 5-Year Prospective Follow-up of 431 Subjects
Keller et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1992;49:809-816.
ABSTRACT  

Outcome in Mania: A 4-Year Prospective Follow-up of 75 Patients Utilizing Survival Analysis
Tohen et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1990;47:1106-1111.
ABSTRACT  

Treatment of Recurrent Unipolar Major Depressive Disorder: Commentary on the Pittsburgh Study
Klerman
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1990;47:1158-1162.
ABSTRACT  

Factors Associated With 1-Year Outcome of Major Depression in the Community
Sargeant et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1990;47:519-526.
ABSTRACT  

The Advantage of Early Treatment Intervention in Recurrent Depression
Kupfer et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1989;46:771-775.
ABSTRACT  

Depressive Disorders in Childhood: IV. A Longitudinal Study of Comorbidity With and Risk for Anxiety Disorders
Kovacs et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1989;46:776-782.
ABSTRACT  

Early Recurrence in Unipolar Depression
Frank et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1989;46:397-400.
ABSTRACT  

Social Zeitgebers and Biological Rhythms: A Unified Approach to Understanding the Etiology of Depression
Ehlers et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1988;45:948-952.
ABSTRACT  

The Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation: A Comprehensive Method for Assessing Outcome in Prospective Longitudinal Studies
Keller et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1987;44:540-548.
ABSTRACT  

Treatment for Depression: 'Standard' Clinical Practice as an Unexamined Topic
Kupfer and Freedman
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1986;43:509-511.
ABSTRACT  

Depressive Disorders in Childhood: I. A Longitudinal Prospective Study of Characteristics and Recovery
Kovacs et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1984;41:229-237.
ABSTRACT