Clinical characteristics of depression in patients with episodic consumption of and dependence on alcohol

Abstract

To study clinical and psychopathological features of depression in patients with consumption of and dependence on alcohol. Eighty-nine depressed patients were examined. The first group included patients with depressive disorders complicated by alcoholism. The second group included patients, which used alcohol in depressive phase. Control group included patients with endogenous depression without drinking alcohol. Examinations of patients were carried out using clinical-psychopathological method, MADRS and statistical analysis of the data. Depressive disorders complicated by consumption of and dependence on alcohol were comparable for the clinical picture, family history, premorbid features. At the same time, they had a number of differences. In patients with alcohol abuse in depressive syndrome, anxious and melancholic depressions were more frequent. They were complicated with alcohol dependence, were more severe, had less favorite outcomes and a trend toward prolonged course and were more psychopathologically polymorphic. Characteristics of depression in patients with consumption of and dependence on alcohol will allow for a more accurate differential diagnosis and more adequate treatment of affective disorders.