Anxious-retarded depression: Relation to two-year outcome of major depressive disorder

Anxious-retarded depression is a two-dimensionally defined subcategory of depression derived from DSM-IV melancholia. It is related to increased plasma vasopressin, correlative plasma vasopressin and cortisol levels, and a positive family history. We now explored its relation with outcome. Seventy depressed patients were included to follow-up for two years. Outcome was defined by time until full-remission. Cox regression analyses were used to compare anxious-retarded and non-anxious-retarded patients, as well as melancholic and non-melancholic patients. Anxious-retarded depression had poor outcome. The number of patients was relatively small. The poor outcome of anxious-retarded depression further supports its validity.