Objective: Subsyndromal depressive symptoms (SSD) are common in the elderly. Research on younger populations suggests that SSD may exist on a continuum with major depressive disorder.
The purpose of this study was to examine SSD as a risk factor for subsequent depression over two years in an elderly cohort.
Design:
Materials and Methods: A cohort of 521 community dwelling elderly subjects was followed up over two years using GMS-AGECAT. For the purposes of this study those with SSD at baseline (n=74) were compared with those who were well at baseline (n=234) to examine the influence of SSD on the development of case-level depression.
Results:14.6% (n=11) of the group with SSD became depressed compared with 2.5% (n=6) of the well group.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that the presence of SSD significantly increases the risk of depression in the elderly. As the serious consequences of late-life depression are well established early intervention in those with SSD could play a role in reducing morbidity in the elderly.
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