The Change of Suicidal Ideation Over a 12-Week Naturalistic Treatment of Depression: Comparison Between Young People and Older Adults

Objective@#We investigated the differences in suicidality between young people and older adults with depression over the course of 12-week naturalistic treatment with antidepressants. @*Methods@#A total of 565 patients who had moderate to severe depression (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HAM-D] score ≥14) and significant suicidal ideation (Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation [SSI-B] score ≥6) were recruited from 18 hospitals. Participants were classified into two groups: the younger group (13–24 years of age, n=82) and the older group (≥25 years of age, n=483). Total scores over time on the SSI-B, HAM-D, and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) were assessed and compared between the two groups. @*Results@#At baseline, the younger group had lower HAM-D scores (21.0 vs. 22.2; p=0.028) but higher SSI-B scores (19.4 vs. 15.6; p<0.001) compared with the older group. The overall 12-week proportion of patients with resolved suicidality was 44.1% in the younger group and 69.2% in the older group. Although the improvement in the HAM-D and HAM-A scores did not differ between the groups, suicidal ideation in the younger group remained more severe than in the older group throughout the treatment. The ratio of the subjects who achieved HAM-D remission or response but did not achieve SSI-B remission was significantly higher in the younger group than in the older group. @*Conclusion@#These data suggest that in depressed youths, suicide risk is a serious concern throughout the course of depression even when favorable treatment outcomes are obtained.

Suicidal Behaviors Among Public Community Healthcare Center Registrants: A Comparison of Mental and General Healthcare Center Registrants in Korea / 우울ㆍ조울병

Background@#The study examined the prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among registrants of public community healthcare centers and compared between the characteristics of mental and general healthcare center (GHC) registrants. @*Methods@#The study measured lifetime suicidal behaviors, psychosocial variables, psychiatric comorbidities, and suicide related factors. @*Results@#A total of 132 (73.7%) and 126 (42.3%) mental and GHC registrants, respectively, reported a history of suicidal ideation; whereas 64 (35.8%) and 29 (9.7%) of mental and GHC registrants, respectively, reported a history of suicidal attempts. Scores of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) for both suicidal ideation groups were above the severe level, although only 2% of GHC group recognized their diagnoses of depressive disorders. @*Conclusion@#The study observed high suicidal risk among the mental and GHC registrants. High BDI scores and unevaluated depression under score the need for screening and provision of appropriate early interventions in public community healthcare centers.

ZNF804A Gene Variants Have a Cross-diagnostic Influence on Psychosis and Treatment Improvement in Mood Disorders

Objective@#Genetic variations in the gene encoding zinc finger protein 804A gene (ZNF804A) have been associated with major depression and bipolar disorder. In this work we focused on the potential influence of ZNF804A variations on the risk of developing specific sub-phenotypes as well as the individual response to available treatments. @*Methods@#We used two samples of different ethnic origin: a Korean sample, composed by 242 patients diagnosed with major depression and 132 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder and 326 healthy controls; an Italian sample composed 151 major depression subjects, 189 bipolar disorder subjects and 38 outpatients diagnosed for a primary anxiety disorder. @*Results@#Our analyses reported an association of rs1344706 with psychotic phenotype in the cross-diagnostic pooled sample (geno p = 4.15 × 10−4, allelic p = 1.06 × 10−4). In the cross-diagnosis Italian sample but not in the Korean one, rs7597593 was involved with depressive symptoms improvement after treatment (geno p = 0.025, allelic p = 0.007). @*Conclusion@#The present study evidenced the role of ZNF804A alterations in symptoms improvement after treatment. Both manic and depressive symptoms seem to be modulated by ZNF804A, though the latter was observed in the bipolar pooled sample only. The role of this factor is likely related to synaptic development and maintenance; however, further analyses will be needed to better understand the molecular mechanics involved with ZNF804A.

Erratum: Correction of Acknowledgements Second Generation Antipsychotics in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder: An Update / 전남의대학술지

The Acknowledgement was published incorrectly.

Genes Involved in Neurodevelopment, Neuroplasticity and Major Depression: No Association for CACNA1C, CHRNA7 and MAPK1

OBJECTIVE: Genetics factors are likely to play a role in the risk, clinical presentation and treatment outcome in major depressive disorder (MDD). In this study, we investigated the role of three candidate genes for MDD; calcium voltage-gated channel subunit alpha1 C (CACNA1C), cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha 7 subunit (CHRNA7), and mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1). METHODS: Two-hundred forty-two MDD patients and 326 healthy controls of Korean ancestry served as samples for the analyses. Thirty-nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within CACNA1C, CHRNA7, and MAPK1 genes were genotyped and subsequently tested for association with MDD (primary analysis) and other clinical features (symptoms’ severity, age of onset, history of suicide attempt, treatment outcome) (secondary analyses). Single SNPs, haplotypes and epistatic analyses were performed. RESULTS: Single SNPs were not associated with disease risk and clinical features. However, a combination of alleles (haplotype) within MAPK1 was found associated with MDD-status. Secondary analyses detected a possible involvement of CACNA1C haplotype in resistance to antidepressant treatment. CONCLUSION: These data suggest a role for MAPK1 and CACNA1C in MDD risk and treatment resistance, respectively. However, since many limitations characterize the analysis, the results must be considered with great caution and verified.

Clinical Validation of the Psychotic Depression Assessment Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-6, and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale-5: Results from the Clinical Research Center for Depression Study

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to validate the psychotic depression assessment scale (PDAS), which includes the six-item melancholia subscale from the Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD-6) and the five-item psychosis subscale from the brief psychiatric rating scale (BPRS-5). Data from the Clinical Research Center for Depression (CRESCEND) study, which is a 52-week naturalistic trial, were analyzed. METHODS: Fifty-two patients with psychotic depression from the CRESCEND study met our inclusion criteria. The patients underwent the following psychometric assessments: the PDAS, including HAMD-6 and BPRS-5, the clinical global impression scales, the HAMD, the positive symptom subscale, and the negative symptom subscale. Assessments were performed at the baseline and then at weeks 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 52. Spearman correlation analyses were used to assess the clinical validity and responsiveness of the PDAS. RESULTS: The clinical validity and responsiveness of the PDAS, including HAMD-6 and BPRS-5, were acceptable, with the exception of the clinical responsiveness of the PDAS for positive symptoms and the clinical responsiveness of BPRS-5 for negative symptoms. CONCLUSION: The clinical relevance of the PDAS has been confirmed and this clinical validation will enhance its clinical utility and availability.

Paroxetine versus Venlafaxine and Escitalopram in Korean Patients with Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized, Rater-blinded, Six-week Study

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of escitalopram, paroxetine and venlafaxine in Korean patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). METHODS: A total of 449 Korean MDD patients were recruited in a six-week, randomized, rater-blinded, active-controlled trial and were evenly randomized to paroxetine, venlafaxine, or escitalopram treatment. RESULTS: When comparing the mean difference for the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) total scores during six weeks, paroxetine (−6.4±0.4, and −5.4±0.4, respectively) was found to be significantly superior to escitalopram (−3.7±0.5 and −3.1±0.4, respectively). Venlafaxine had a significantly lower MADRS total score (−5.4±0.4) than escitalopram. When adjusting baseline variables, the response, according to the MADRS and HDRS scores, in the paroxetine group was greater than that for the escitalopram group (odds ratio [OR]=2.43, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.42–4.16 for MADRS; and OR=2.32, 95% CI=1.35–3.97 for HDRS) and the venlafaxine group (OR=1.94, 95% CI=1.17–3.21 for MADRS; and OR=1.71, 95% CI=1.03–2.83 for HDRS). Despite that the overall tolerability was high and similar among the three groups, a total of 268 subjects (59.7%) prematurely discontinued treatment, representing the main limitation of the present study. CONCLUSION: Although a low study completion rate limits generalizability, our findings suggest that paroxetine might be superior to escitalopram in Korean MDD patients. Further studies should be conducted to draw a definite conclusion.

Potential Relationship between Season of Birth and Clinical Characteristics in Major Depressive Disorder in Koreans: Results from the CRESCEND Study

We aimed to examine the potential relationship between season of birth (SOB) and clinical characteristics in Korean patients with unipolar non-psychotic major depressive disorder (MDD). Using data from the Clinical Research Center for Depression (CRESCEND) study in South Korea, 891 MDD patients were divided into two groups, those born in spring/summer (n=457) and those born in autumn/winter (n=434). Measurement tools comprising the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Scale for Suicidal Ideation, Clinical Global Impression of severity, Social and Occupation Functional Assessment Scale, WHO Quality of Life assessment instrument-abbreviated version, Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, and Temperament and Character Inventory were used to evaluate depression, anxiety, overall symptoms, suicidal ideation, global severity, social function, quality of life, drinking, and temperament and character, respectively. Using independent t-tests for continuous variables and χ2 tests for discrete variables, the clinical characteristics of the two groups were compared. MDD patients born in spring/summer were on average younger at onset of first depressive episode (t=2.084, p=0.038), had greater loss of concentration (χ2=4.589, p=0.032), and were more self-directed (t=2.256, p=0.025) than those born in autumn/winter. Clinically, there was a trend for the MDD patients born in spring/summer to display the contradictory characteristics of more severe clinical course and less illness burden; this may have been partly due to a paradoxical effect of the 5-HT system.

Second Generation Antipsychotics in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder: An Update / 전남의대학술지

Less than one third of patients who suffer from major depressive disorder (MDD) report remission following antidepressant treatments requiring more diverse treatment approaches. Augmentation of second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) has been increasingly recognized as an important treatment option. The authors have previously provided a comprehensive review of SGAs for the treatment of MDD in 2013. Since then, numerous additional clinical trials have been conducted to investigate diverse issues regarding the utility of SGAs in MDD. Moreover, a new SGA, brexpiprazole, was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration in July 2015 for the treatment of MDD as an augmentation agent to antidepressants. Thus, the aim of this study was to provide a concise update of all the available SGAs for the treatment of MDD, in particular on the additional clinical trials which have been published since 2013.

Second Generation Antipsychotics in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder: An Update / 전남의대학술지

Less than one third of patients who suffer from major depressive disorder (MDD) report remission following antidepressant treatments requiring more diverse treatment approaches. Augmentation of second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) has been increasingly recognized as an important treatment option. The authors have previously provided a comprehensive review of SGAs for the treatment of MDD in 2013. Since then, numerous additional clinical trials have been conducted to investigate diverse issues regarding the utility of SGAs in MDD. Moreover, a new SGA, brexpiprazole, was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration in July 2015 for the treatment of MDD as an augmentation agent to antidepressants. Thus, the aim of this study was to provide a concise update of all the available SGAs for the treatment of MDD, in particular on the additional clinical trials which have been published since 2013.

Clinical Significance of the Number of Depressive Symptoms in Major Depressive Disorder: Results from the CRESCEND Study

Our study aimed to establish the relationship between the number of depressive symptoms and the clinical characteristics of major depressive disorder (MDD). This would enable us to predict the clinical significance of the number of depressive symptoms in MDD patients. Using data from the Clinical Research Center for Depression (CRESCEND) study in Korea, 853 patients with DSM-IV MDD were recruited. The baseline and clinical characteristics of groups with different numbers of depressive symptoms were compared using the χ2 test for discrete variables and covariance (ANCOVA) for continuous variables. In addition, the scores of these groups on the measurement tools were compared by ANCOVA after adjusting the potential effects of confounding variables. After adjusting the effects of monthly income and history of depression, a larger number of depressive symptoms indicated higher overall severity of depression (F [4, 756] = 21.458, P < 0.001) and higher levels of depressive symptoms (F [4, 767] = 19.145, P < 0.001), anxiety symptoms (F [4, 765] = 12.890, P < 0.001) and suicidal ideation (F [4, 653] = 6.970, P < 0.001). It also indicated lower levels of social function (F [4, 760] = 13.343, P < 0.001), and quality of life (F [4, 656] = 11.975, P < 0.001). However, there were no significant differences in alcohol consumption (F [4, 656] = 11.975, P < 0.001). The number of depressive symptoms can be used as an index of greater illness burden in clinical psychiatry.

Optimizing the Use of Aripiprazole Augmentation in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder: From Clinical Trials to Clinical Practice / 전남의대학술지

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a recurrent, chronic, and devastating disorder leading to serious impairment in functional capacity as well as increasing public health care costs. In the previous decade, switching therapy and dose adjustment of ongoing antidepressants was the most frequently chosen subsequent treatment option for MDD. However, such recommendations were not based on firmly proven efficacy data from well-designed, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) but on practical grounds and clinical reasoning. Aripiprazole augmentation has been dramatically increasing in clinical practice owing to its unique action mechanisms as well as proven efficacy and safety from adequately powered and well-controlled RCTs. Despite the increased use of aripiprazole in depression, limited clinical information and knowledge interfere with proper and efficient use of aripiprazole augmentation for MDD. The objective of the present review was to enhance clinicians' current understanding of aripiprazole augmentation and how to optimize the use of this therapy in the treatment of MDD.

Hazardous Drinking-Related Characteristics of Depressive Disorders in Korea: The CRESCEND Study

This study aimed to identify clinical correlates of hazardous drinking in a large cohort of Korean patients with depression. We recruited a total of 402 depressed patients aged > 18 yr from the Clinical Research Center for Depression (CRESCEND) study in Korea. Patients' drinking habits were assessed using the Korean Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT-K). Psychometric scales, including the HAMD, HAMA, BPRS, CGI-S, SSI-Beck, SOFAS, and WHOQOL-BREF, were used to assess depression, anxiety, overall psychiatric symptoms, global severity, suicidal ideation, social functioning, and quality of life, respectively. We compared demographic and clinical features and psychometric scores between patients with and without hazardous drinking behavior after adjusting for the effects of age and sex. We then performed binary logistic regression analysis to identify independent correlates of hazardous drinking in the study population. Our results revealed that hazardous drinking was associated with current smoking status, history of attempted suicide, greater psychomotor retardation, suicidal ideation, weight loss, and lower hypochondriasis than non-hazardous drinking. The regression model also demonstrated that more frequent smoking, higher levels of suicidal ideation, and lower levels of hypochondriasis were independently correlates for hazardous drinking in depressed patients. In conclusion, depressed patients who are hazardous drinkers experience severer symptoms and a greater burden of illness than non-hazardous drinkers. In Korea, screening depressed patients for signs of hazardous drinking could help identify subjects who may benefit from comprehensive therapeutic approaches.

Prevalence of Depressive Disorder of Outpatients Visiting Two Primary Care Settings / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: Although the prevalence of depressive disorders in South Korea's general population is known, no reports on the prevalence of depression among patients who visit primary care facilities have been published. This preliminary study was conducted to identify the prevalence of depressive disorder in patients that visit two primary care facilities. METHODS: Among 231 consecutive eligible patients who visited two primary care settings, 184 patients consented to a diagnostic interview for depression by psychiatrists following the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV criteria. There were no significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics such as gender, age, or level of education between the groups that consented and declined the diagnostic examination. The prevalence of depressive disorder and the proportion of newly diagnosed patients among depressive disorder patients were calculated. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive disorder of patients in the two primary care facilities was 14.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.1 to 19.2), with major depressive disorder 5.4% (95% CI, 2.1 to 8.7), dysthymia 1.1% (95% CI, 0.0 to 2.6), and depressive disorder, not otherwise specified 7.6% (95% CI, 3.7 to 11.5). Among the 26 patients with depressive disorder, 19 patients were newly diagnosed. CONCLUSIONS: As compared to the general population, a higher prevalence of depressive disorders was observed among patients at two primary care facilities. Further study is needed with larger samples to inform the development of a primary care setting-based depression screening, management, and referral system to increase the efficiency of limited health care resources.

Gender Differences in the Clinical Characteristics of Psychotic Depression: Results from the CRESCEND Study

OBJECTIVE: To test whether there are gender differences in the clinical characteristics of patients with psychotic depression (PD). METHODS: Using data from the Clinical Research Center for Depression (CRESCEND) study in South Korea, we tested for potential gender differences in clinical characteristics among 53 patients with PD. The Psychotic Depression Assessment Scale (PDAS) and other psychometric scales were used to evaluate various clinical features of the study subjects. Independent t-tests were performed for normally distributed variables, Mann-Whitney U-tests for non-normally distributed variables, and chi2 tests for discrete variables. In addition, to exclude the effects of confounding variables, we carried out an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for the normally distributed variables and binary logistic regression analyses for discrete variables, after adjusting the effects of marital status. RESULTS: We identified more prevalent suicidal ideation (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=10.316, p=0.036) and hallucinatory behavior (aOR=8.332, p=0.016), as well as more severe anxiety symptoms (degrees of freedom [df]=1, F=6.123, p=0.017), and poorer social and occupational functioning (df=1, F=6.265, p=0.016) in the male patients compared to the female patients. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that in South Korean patients with PD, suicidal ideation, hallucinatory behavior, and anxiety is more pronounced among males than females. This should be taken into consideration in clinical practice.

Optimizing the Use of Aripiprazole Augmentation in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder: From Clinical Trials to Clinical Practice / 전남의대학술지

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a recurrent, chronic, and devastating disorder leading to serious impairment in functional capacity as well as increasing public health care costs. In the previous decade, switching therapy and dose adjustment of ongoing antidepressants was the most frequently chosen subsequent treatment option for MDD. However, such recommendations were not based on firmly proven efficacy data from well-designed, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials (RCTs) but on practical grounds and clinical reasoning. Aripiprazole augmentation has been dramatically increasing in clinical practice owing to its unique action mechanisms as well as proven efficacy and safety from adequately powered and well-controlled RCTs. Despite the increased use of aripiprazole in depression, limited clinical information and knowledge interfere with proper and efficient use of aripiprazole augmentation for MDD. The objective of the present review was to enhance clinicians' current understanding of aripiprazole augmentation and how to optimize the use of this therapy in the treatment of MDD.

Difference in Treatment Outcome in Hospitalized Major Depression Patients with versus without Anxious Distress Specifier in DSM-5 / 대한정신약물학회지

OBJECTIVE: In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5), a new specifier of major depressive disorder (MDD) "with anxious distress" allows characterization of additional symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate difference in treatment outcome of MDD with versus without anxious distress specifier in DSM-5. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of patients admitted to a university hospital with a primary diagnosis of MDD in a period from March 2013 to September 2014 was conducted. We reviewed anxious distress symptoms, medications and detailed clinical information at index episode. We compared treatment outcomes of anxious distress group with those of non anxious distress group. RESULTS: There were differences in remission rate after 4 weeks later (18.5% vs. 44.4%, p=0.040) and at discharge (33.3% vs. 66.7%, p=0.014) between anxious distress and non anxious distress. However, no significant differences were observed in the sociodemographic characteristics, treatment regimens, and response rate. CONCLUSION: Anxious distress specifier might be worthwhile to be further evaluated as a diagnostic entity of its own requiring specific diagnosis and therapeutic attention.

Changes in Aripiprazole Usage in the Psychiatric Inpatients at a University Hospital between 2004-2008 and 2009-2013 / 대한정신약물학회지

OBJECTIVE: Patterns of clinical use of aripiprazole have changed greatly in the past decade. We aimed to assess changes in these patterns in an inpatient unit at a university hospital between 2004-2008 and 2009-2013. METHODS: The subjects (n=182) were inpatients treated with aripiprazole between September 2004 and May 2013 who were categorized according to time period: Sep 2004-Dec 2008 (n=42) or Jan 2009-May 2013 (n=142). Aripiprazole was approved as an adjunctive therapy for patients with major depressive disorder by the Korea Food and Drug Administration in 2008. The subjects' charts were retrospectively reviewed to ascertain the distribution of psychiatric diagnoses and to identify other factors related to diagnosis, such as demographic characteristics, starting/maximum doses, and treatment regimen. RESULTS: Comparison of the two time periods showed that the most common psychiatric diagnoses changed from schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders to mood disorders such as major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Aripiprazole was more often prescribed for bipolar disorder, depressed patients during 2009-2013 than during 2004-2008 (15.5% vs. 2.4%, p=0.047). Patients with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders (p=0.005), major depressive disorder (p=0.006), bipolar disorder, manic/mixed (p=0.006) and other diagnoses (p=0.029) had significantly lower starting doses during 2009-2013 than during 2004-2008. Although a trend was found toward a higher aripiprazole dose for schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders during 2009-2013 than during 2004-2008, the difference was not significant (28.3+/-1.4 vs. 22.1+/-2.1, p=0.061). CONCLUSION: Treatment with aripiprazole has been extended beyond schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders to mood disorders and other diagnoses in clinical practice. The majority of patients treated with aripiprazole during the later period received lower starting doses than did those during the earlier one, although maximum doses varied depending on the psychiatric diagnosis.

Distinctive Clinical Correlates of Psychotic Major Depression: The CRESCEND Study

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was to identify distinctive clinical correlates of psychotic major depression (PMD) as compared with non-psychotic major depression (NPMD) in a large cohort of Korean patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). METHODS: We recruited 966 MDD patients of age over 18 years from the Clinical Research Center for Depression of South Korea (CRESCEND) study. Diagnoses of PMD (n=24) and NPMD (n=942) were made with the DSM-IV definitions and confirmed with SCID. Psychometric scales were used to assess overall psychiatric symptoms (BPRS), depression (HAMD), anxiety (HAMA), global severity (CGI-S), suicidal ideation (SSI-Beck), functioning (SOFAS), and quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF). Using independent t-tests and chi2 tests, we compared clinical characteristics of patients with PMD and NPMD. A binary logistic regression model was constructed to identify factors independently associated with increased likelihood of PMD. RESULTS: PMD subjects were characterized by a higher rate of inpatient enrollment, and higher scores on many items on BPRS (somatic concern, anxiety, emotional withdrawal, guilt feelings, tension, depression, suspiciousness, hallucination, motor retardation, blunted affect and excitement) global severity (CGI-s), and suicidal ideation (SSI-Beck). The explanatory factor model revealed that high levels of tension, excitement, and suicidal ideation were associated with increased likelihood of PMD. CONCLUSION: Our findings partly support the view that PMD has its own distinctive clinical manifestation and course, and may be considered a diagnostic entity separate from NPMD.

Does Age at Onset of First Major Depressive Episode Indicate the Subtype of Major Depressive Disorder?: The Clinical Research Center for Depression Study

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of age at onset of the first major depressive episode on the clinical features of individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) in a large cohort of Korean depressed patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recruited 419 MDD patients of age over 18 years from the Clinical Research Center for Depression study in South Korea. At the start of the study, the onset age of the first major depressive episode was self-reported by the subjects. The subjects were divided into four age-at-onset subgroups: childhood and adolescent onset (ages <18), early adult onset (ages 18-44), middle adult onset (ages 45-59), and late onset (ages 60+). Using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and ordinal logistic regression analysis with adjusting the effect of age, the relationships between clinical features and age at onset of MDD were evaluated. RESULTS: There was an apparent, but inconsistent correlation between clinical features and age at onset. Earlier onset MDD was significantly associated with higher proportion of female gender [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=0.570, p=0.022], more previous suicide attempts (AOR=0.635, p=0.038), greater number of previous depressive episodes (F=3.475, p=0.016) and higher scores on the brief psychiatric rating scale (F=3.254, p=0.022), its negative symptom subscale (F=6.082, p<0.0001), and the alcohol use disorder identification test (F=7.061, p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Early age at onset may increase the likelihood of distinguishable MDD subtype, and age at onset of the first major depressive episode is a promising clinical indicator for the clinical presentation, course, and outcome of MDD.