Anxiety In Late-Life Depression: Determinants Of The Course Of Anxiety And Complete Remission

In 270 patients (≥60 years) diagnosed with major depressive disorder, researchers sought to determine factors that could predict complete remission (no depression nor anxiety diagnoses at 2-year follow-up) and of the course of comorbid anxiety symptoms. In this observational study, complete remission was attained in a total of 135 of 270 patients. Complete remission was less frequently observed in depressed patients with a comorbid anxiety disorder at baseline. Following factors were identified as predictive of nonremission: the severity of depressive and anxiety symptomatology, the presence of a comorbid anxiety disorder, and a poorer physical health at baseline. Maladaptive personality traits may play a principal role in the prognosis of late-life depression in the face of negative life-events, given its impact on anxiety. Interventions to decrease depression and anxiety symptomology need to involve techniques that improve psychological well-being, like the sense of mastery for daily life-stress continues to be a risk factor among non- or partly remitted older adults.

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