Validity and severity thresholds for the depression subscale of the affective self rating scale: An equipercentile equating study using classical test theory

BACKGROUND

The Affective Symptoms Scale (ASRS) is a unique instrument designed to separately measure depressive and manic symptoms in mood disorders. We validated the ASRS against the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-16).

METHODS

A retrospective study of 258 patients who completed the PHQ-9, QIDS-16 and ASRS as part of routine clinical care. To establish meaningful clinical thresholds for the depression subscale of the ASRS, it was equated with the QIDS and the PHQ-9.

RESULTS

The depression subscale of the ASRS had significant positive correlations with the QIDS-16 and the PHQ-9 (respectively, r= 0.8, t[253] = 19.8, p < 0.001, and r= 0.8, t[245] = 28.2, p < 0.001). The equipercentile equating method with the PHQ-9 indicated that the thresholds corresponded to ASRS depression subscale scores of 5.4, 10.6, 16.1, and 23. Equating with the QIDS indicated that thresholds corresponded to ASRS depression subscale scores of 5.1, 11, 18.4, and 27.5.

LIMITATIONS

Limitations include a small sample size that did not allow more detailed statistical analysis, such as Item Response Theory. The population is a heterogenous population at a university outpatient setting.

CONCLUSIONS

The ASRS depression subscale significantly correlated with the PHQ-9 and QIDS-16. Our proposed threshold scores for the ASRS are 5, 11, 16 and 23 to indicated mild, moderate, severe and very severe depression respectively.

The correlation between Toxoplasma gondii infection and prenatal depression in pregnant women

Previous studies have demonstrated that latent toxoplasmosis is associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. We evaluated the correlation between Toxoplasma gondii infection and prenatal depression. In this case-control study, we enrolled 116 depressed pregnant women and 244 healthy controls. The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to evaluate the depression symptom severity in study participants. All participants were screened for the anti-Toxoplasma IgG by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Seroprevalence of T. gondii did not significantly differ between the depressed pregnant women and healthy controls (OR = 1.4; 95 % CI = 0.9-2.19; P = 0.142). T. gondii IgG titer was significantly higher in depressed women (18.6 ± 10.9 IUs) than those in the control group (13.6 ± 8.1 IUs) (z = -5.36, P < 0.001). The T. gondii-positive depressed women showed a positive correlation of T. gondii IgG titer with the EPDS scores (r = 0.52; P < 0.01). The mean EPDS score was also significantly higher in the T. gondii-positive depressed women (20.7 ± 2.7) compared with the controls (18.36 ± 2.7) (P < 0.001). The results obtained from the current study revealed that T. gondii infection might affect susceptibility to depression and severity of depressive symptoms in pregnant women, particularly in those patients who have high antibody titers. Further study is required to fully elucidate the characteristics and mechanisms of this association.

Early predictive biomarkers for postpartum depression point to a role for estrogen receptor signaling

BACKGROUND

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects approximately 13% of women and has a negative impact on mother and infant, hence reliable biological tests for early detection of PPD are essential. We aimed to identify robust predictive biomarkers for PPD using peripheral blood gene expression profiles in a hypothesis-free genome-wide study in a high-risk, longitudinal cohort.

METHOD

We performed a genome-wide association study in a longitudinal discovery cohort comprising 62 women with psychopathology. Gene expression and hormones were measured in the first and third pregnancy trimesters and early postpartum (201 samples). The replication cohort comprised 24 women with third pregnancy trimester gene expression measures. Gene expression was measured on Illumina-Human HT12 v4 microarrays. Plasma estradiol and estriol were measured. Statistical analysis was performed in R.

RESULTS

We identified 116 transcripts differentially expressed between the PPD and euthymic women during the third trimester that allowed prediction of PPD with an accuracy of 88% in both discovery and replication cohorts. Within these transcripts, significant enrichment of transcripts implicated that estrogen signaling was observed and such enrichment was also evident when analysing published gene expression data predicting PPD from a non-risk cohort. While plasma estrogen levels were not different across groups, women with PPD displayed an increased sensitivity to estrogen signaling, confirming the previously proposed hypothesis of increased sex-steroid sensitivity as a susceptibility factor for PPD.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that PPD can be robustly predicted in currently euthymic women as early as the third trimester and these findings have implications for predictive testing of high-risk women and prevention and treatment for PPD.

Regulation of mRNA expression encoding chaperone and co-chaperone proteins of the glucocorticoid receptor in peripheral blood: association with depressive symptoms during pregnancy

BACKGROUND

Major depressive disorder during pregnancy associates with potentially detrimental consequences for mother and child. The current study examined peripheral blood gene expression as a potential biomarker for prenatal depressive symptoms.

METHOD

Maternal RNA from whole blood, plasma and the Beck Depression Inventory were collected longitudinally from preconception through the third trimester of pregnancy in 106 women with a lifetime history of mood or anxiety disorders. The expression of 16 genes in whole blood involved in glucorticoid receptor (GR) signaling was assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction. In parallel, plasma concentrations of progesterone, estradiol and cortisol were measured. Finally, we assessed ex vivo GR sensitivity in peripheral blood cells from a subset of 29 women.

RESULTS

mRNA expression of a number of GR-complex regulating genes was up-regulated over pregnancy. Women with depressive symptoms showed significantly smaller increases in mRNA expression of four of these genes - FKBP5, BAG1, NCOA1 and PPID. Ex vivo stimulation assays showed that GR sensitivity diminished with progression of pregnancy and increasing maternal depressive symptoms. Plasma concentrations of gonadal steroids and cortisol did not differ over pregnancy between women with and without clinically relevant depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of prenatal depressive symptoms appears to be associated with altered regulation of GR sensitivity. Peripheral expression of GR co-chaperone genes may serve as a biomarker for risk of developing depressive symptoms during pregnancy. The presence of such biomarkers, if confirmed, could be utilized in treatment planning for women with a psychiatric history.

A psychopharmacological treatment algorithm for generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is defined as excessive and uncontrollable worry and anxiety about everyday life situations. It is a chronic disorder, and is associated with substantial somatisation, high rates of comorbid depression and other anxiety disorders, and significant disability. The evidence base for pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy has continued to grow, and a wide range of drug choices for GAD now exists. Current guidelines for GAD generally restrict themselves to presentation of the evidence for various treatments, which, as a result, generally do not offer detailed discussion or recommendation of strategies beyond the first level of treatment, or take into account the individual circumstances of the patient. Thus, there is a lack of algorithm-based treatment guidelines for GAD. Our aim is, therefore, to present an algorithm for the psychopharmacologic management of GAD, intended for all clinicians who treat patients with GAD, where issues of pharmacotherapy are under consideration. We also hope that these GAD algorithms and other guidelines can help to identify high-priority areas that need further study. In this algorithm, we provide a sequenced approach to the pharmacotherapy of GAD, taking into account salient symptomatology and comorbidity, levels of evidence and extent of response. Special issues, including comorbidity, insomnia, suicidality, substance abuse, treatment adherence, pregnancy and lactation, cross-cultural issues, use of medication in the elderly, psychosocial treatment and dosing issues are also addressed.

Maternal depression and medication exposure during pregnancy: comparison of maternal retrospective recall to prospective documentation

OBJECTIVE

Outcome investigations of prenatal maternal depression and psychotropic exposure rely extensively on maternal retrospective recall. This study compared postnatal recall to prospective documentation of illness and medication exposures.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort and retrospective case-control studies.

SETTING

Emory Women's Mental Health Program (prospective study) and Emory University Department of Psychology (retrospective study).

SAMPLE

A total of 164 women who participated in both the prospective and retrospective studies.

METHODS

Women with a history of mental illness were followed during pregnancy for prospective prenatal assessments of depression and medication exposures. At 6 months postpartum, some of these women also participated in a retrospective study during which they were asked to recall prenatal depression and medication use. Agreement between prospective and retrospective documentation of exposures was analysed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Occurrence of maternal depression during pregnancy and maternal use of pharmacological agents during pregnancy.

RESULTS

There was only moderate agreement (k = 0.42) in prospective versus retrospective reporting of prenatal depression. Positive predictive value for recalling depression was 90.4%; however, negative predictive value for denying depression was only 53.8%. Participants accurately recalled psychotropic use but significantly underreported use of nonpsychotropic medications.

CONCLUSIONS

Studies using retrospective data collection may be susceptible to systematic recall bias with underreporting of maternal depression and use of nonpsychotropic agents during pregnancy.

Suicidal ideation in pregnancy: assessment and clinical implications

The objectives of this study were 1) to determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) in pregnant women with a history of neuropsychiatric illness, 2) to assess the relative sensitivity of commonly used depression rating scales for detecting SI, and 3) to examine the sociodemographic and clinical predictors of SI in pregnant women. Demographic data, Beck Depression Inventory [BDI] and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression [HRSD] questionnaires, and SCID interviews were obtained from 383 pregnant women presenting to the Emory Women's Mental Health Program or the Emory Women's Epilepsy Program. Among those who completed both scales, 29.2% endorsed SI on the BDI and 16.9% on the HRSD, with 33.0% endorsing SI on at least one of the rating scales and 13.1% on both rating scales. The rate of SI endorsement on the BDI was 73.3% higher than the HRSD. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that SI in pregnant women was associated with unplanned pregnancy (OR = 2.97), current major depression (OR = 4.12), and comorbid anxiety disorder (OR = 4.17). Further studies are warranted to identify additional predictors of perinatal suicidality and to clarify the nature of the association between such factors and the presence of SI in pregnant women.

Lamotrigine in pregnancy: clearance, therapeutic drug monitoring, and seizure frequency

OBJECTIVE

To characterize the magnitude and course of alterations in total and free lamotrigine (LTG) clearance (Cl) during pregnancy and the postpartum period, to assess the impact of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) on seizure frequency, to determine the ratio to individual target LTG concentration that is associated with increased seizure risk, and to evaluate maternal postpartum toxicity.

METHODS

A cohort of women were enrolled before conception or during pregnancy in this prospective, observational study. Visits occurred every 1 to 3 months with review of seizure and medication diaries, examination, and blood sampling. Total and free LTG Cls were calculated. Individualized target concentrations were used for TDM. The ratio to target concentration (RTC) was compared between patients with and without increased seizures. A receiver operating characteristic curve determined the threshold RTC that best predicts increased seizure frequency.

RESULTS

Analysis of 305 samples in 53 pregnancies demonstrated increased total and free LTG Cl in all trimesters above nonpregnant baseline (p < 0.001), with peak increases of 94% and 89% in the third trimester. Free LTG Cl was higher in white compared with black women (p < 0.05). Increased seizure frequency (n = 36 women with epilepsy) in the second trimester was associated with a lower RTC (p < 0.001), and RTC < 0.65 was a significant predictor of seizure worsening. An empiric postpartum taper reduced the likelihood of maternal LTG toxicity (p < 0.05) (n = 27). Newborn outcomes were similar to the general population (n = 52).

CONCLUSIONS

These novel data contribute to a rational treatment plan and dosing paradigm for lamotrigine use during pregnancy, parturition, and the postpartum period.

The impact of pregnancy and childbirth on the metabolism of lamotrigine

This study was performed to clarify alterations in lamotrigine (LTG) clearance during pregnancy and childbirth. Fourteen women on LTG monotherapy had LTG concentration samples obtained before conception and monthly. LTG apparent clearance, weight-adjusted relative clearance, and percentages of baseline clearance significantly differed between preconception baseline and each trimester and between trimesters. LTG clearance progressively increased until 32 weeks' gestational age, reaching a peak of >330% of baseline, and then began to decline.

Antidepressants during pregnancy and lactation: defining exposure and treatment issues

The majority of psychiatric illness onsets early in an individual's life, typically before or during the reproductive years. The increased incidence of major depression, dysthymia, and panic disorder in women compared with men underscores the likelihood that the clinician will encounter the clinical dilemma of medication use during pregnancy and lactation. The emergence of specialized clinics at several academic centers specifically to investigate and address issues in Perinatal psychiatry illustrates this conundrum best. The extant literature derived from human studies suggests that maternal mental illness and stress may have an adverse impact on obstetrical outcome. These clinical investigations are complemented by a burgeoning series of laboratory studies in rodents and nonhuman primates, showing the profound deleterious impact of maternal stress during the perinatal and neonatal periods on the development of the offspring. Data obtained from pharmaceutical registries, cohort studies, toxicology centers, and case series have consistently failed to show an adverse effect associated with in utero antidepressant exposure. Despite these advances and treatment guidelines proposed by the various academic leaders, investigations describing the extent of fetal/neonatal exposure, clinical methods for minimizing such exposure, and clinical treatment guidelines that include the physiological impact of pregnancy are sparse. The available literature shows distinct pharmacokinetic profiles of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in placental passage and breast milk. Preliminary animal studies have shown higher than expected central nervous system concentrations associated with exposure during pregnancy and mathematical modelling for calculating infant exposure when nursing. The clinical import of these data will require further investigations of central nervous system bioavailability in the fetus and neonate.

Altered pituitary-adrenal axis responses to provocative challenge tests in adult survivors of childhood abuse

OBJECTIVE

Early adverse life events may predispose individuals to the development of mood and anxiety disorders in adulthood, perhaps by inducing persistent changes in corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neuronal systems. The present study sought to evaluate pituitary-adrenal responses to standard hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis challenge tests in adult female survivors of childhood abuse with and without major depressive disorder.

METHOD

Plasma ACTH and cortisol responses to the administration of 1 microg/kg ovine CRF and plasma cortisol responses to the administration of 250 microg ACTH(1-24) were measured in healthy women without early life stress (N=20), women with childhood abuse without major depressive disorder (N=20), women with childhood abuse and major depressive disorder (N=15), and women with major depression but no early life stress (N=11).

RESULTS

Abused women without major depressive disorder exhibited greater than usual ACTH responses to CRF administration, whereas abused women with major depressive disorder and depressed women without early life stress demonstrated blunted ACTH responses. In the ACTH(1-24) stimulation test, abused women without major depressive disorder exhibited lower baseline and stimulated plasma cortisol concentrations. Abused women with comorbid depression more often suffered from posttraumatic stress disorder and reported more recent life stress than abused women without major depressive disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest sensitization of the anterior pituitary and counterregulative adaptation of the adrenal cortex in abused women without major depressive disorder. On subsequent stress exposure, women with a history of childhood abuse may hypersecrete CRF, resulting in down-regulation of adenohypophyseal CRF receptors and symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Pituitary-adrenal and autonomic responses to stress in women after sexual and physical abuse in childhood

CONTEXT

Evidence suggests that early adverse experiences play a preeminent role in development of mood and anxiety disorders and that corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) systems may mediate this association.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether early-life stress results in a persistent sensitization of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to mild stress in adulthood, thereby contributing to vulnerability to psychopathological conditions.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Prospective controlled study conducted from May 1997 to July 1999 at the General Clinical Research Center of Emory University Hospital, Atlanta, Ga.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty-nine healthy women aged 18 to 45 years with regular menses, with no history of mania or psychosis, with no active substance abuse or eating disorder within 6 months, and who were free of hormonal and psychotropic medications were recruited into 4 study groups (n = 12 with no history of childhood abuse or psychiatric disorder [controls]; n = 13 with diagnosis of current major depression who were sexually or physically abused as children; n = 14 without current major depression who were sexually or physically abused as children; and n = 10 with diagnosis of current major depression and no history of childhood abuse).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol levels and heart rate responses to a standardized psychosocial laboratory stressor compared among the 4 study groups.

RESULTS

Women with a history of childhood abuse exhibited increased pituitary-adrenal and autonomic responses to stress compared with controls. This effect was particularly robust in women with current symptoms of depression and anxiety. Women with a history of childhood abuse and a current major depression diagnosis exhibited a more than 6-fold greater ACTH response to stress than age-matched controls (net peak of 9.0 pmol/L [41.0 pg/mL]; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.7-13.3 pmol/L [21.6-60. 4 pg/mL]; vs net peak of 1.4 pmol/L [6.19 pg/mL]; 95% CI, 0.2-2.5 pmol/L [1.0-11.4 pg/mL]; difference, 8.6 pmol/L [38.9 pg/mL]; 95% CI, 4.6-12.6 pmol/L [20.8-57.1 pg/mL]; P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and autonomic nervous system hyperreactivity, presumably due to CRF hypersecretion, is a persistent consequence of childhood abuse that may contribute to the diathesis for adulthood psychopathological conditions. Furthermore, these results imply a role for CRF receptor antagonists in the prevention and treatment of psychopathological conditions related to early-life stress. JAMA. 2000;284:592-597

Neurobiology of posttraumatic stress disorder

Recent advances on the neurobiology of posttraumatic stress disorder include: the utilization of functional brain imaging; the incorporation of cross-system research including neuroendocrine (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axes), neurochemical (corticotropin-releasing factor, norepinephrine, serotonin, endogenous opiates), and neuroimmunological (humoral and cellular immunity) systems; the expansion beyond exclusive study of combat veterans to include posttraumatic stress disorder patients suffering from noncombat traumas; and the development of animal models of traumatic stress.

Assessment and treatment of depression in the cancer patient

The prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment of depression in the cancer patient are reviewed. Although frequently encountered in the cancer patient population, depression often remains undiagnosed and untreated. This carries grave consequences in that depressed cancer patients experience a poorer quality of life, are less compliant with medical care, have longer hospital stays, and have higher mortality rates. Diagnostic assessment of depression in the cancer patient raises difficulties both upon phenomenological and etiological grounds. In particular, the presence of neurovegetative symptoms which may be secondary to either cancer or depression may cloud the diagnostic picture. Due to the serious consequences of unrecognized depression, a more sensitive inclusive approach to diagnosis is recommended in the clinical setting. Finally, the limited data regarding treatment of depression in patients with cancer is reviewed. This includes a discussion of both psychosocial and pharmacological interventions which are shown to alleviate depression, improve quality of life measures, improve immune function, and lengthen survival time.