Aims:
To estimate the mortality risk related to different mood disorders in a geriatric sample of subjects aged 70 years and over without dementia.
Method:
All non-demented subjects at baseline who participate on a second phase of a population-based cohort study were included. adjusted cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the association between depression and 5-year survival of 451 elderly people without dementia originally recruited for a representative community dementia cohort study. baseline evaluation included the cambridge mental disorders of the elderly examination schedule. depressive disorders (major and minor episode) were assessed according dsm-iv criteria and classified according the age of onset (late vs. early). the late-onset depression was classified according to the presence or absence of depression-executive dysfunction syndrome (deds).
Results:
The initial cohort size was 451 subjects, among which 10.9% (n = 49) suffered a major depressive episode and 10.4% (n = 47) a minor depressive disorder. among the total affective disorders, 77.9% (n = 74) were late-onset depressions and 29.5% (n = 28) had executive dysfunction. after 5 years, the vital status of 94% (n = 424) of the participants was known and the mortality was 18.9% (n = 80). late-onset major depressive episode with executive dysfunction was related to mortality after adjustment by age, gender, marital status, level of education, comorbidity (or health global status) and cognitive impairment (hr = 3.70; 95% ci = 1.55-8.83). the executive dysfunction was found to be an independent mortality risk factor (hr = 2.05; 95% ci = 1.15-3.64).
Conclusions:
There is a statistically significant association between mortality and late-onset major depression with executive dysfunction.