AIM: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of somatic symptoms in depressed adolescents and in their healthy peers. A second aim is to investigate the correlation, in the depressed adolescents, between the number of somatic symptoms and severe concurrent symptoms, signs and life events. METHODS: The total population of 16-17 year olds - in the city of Uppsala - was screened for depression and then interviewed using a structured interview questionnaire. Depressed subjects and matched controls were identified. A total of 177 pairs were used for pair-wise analyses of somatic symptoms. Severe symptoms, signs and life events were selected for analysing their relation to depression with somatic symptoms. RESULTS: The adolescents with depressive disorders experienced considerably more somatic symptoms than their healthy controls. The duration and depth of the depression correlated with the number of somatic symptoms. There was a strong correlation between depression with many somatic symptoms and suicidal plans/thoughts, suicidal attempts, disruptive behaviour, as well as multiple stressful relationships. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that somatic symptoms are common in adolescent depression. Multiple somatic symptoms within depression imply a higher severity in terms of duration, depth and psychiatric comorbidity. The strong correlation with suicidal plans, suicidal attempts and disruptive behaviour is concerning.
AIM: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of somatic symptoms in depressed adolescents and in their healthy peers. A second aim is to investigate the correlation, in the depressed adolescents, between the number of somatic symptoms and severe concurrent symptoms, signs and life events. METHODS: The total population of 16-17 year olds - in the city of Uppsala - was screened for depression and then interviewed using a structured interview questionnaire. Depressed subjects and matched controls were identified. A total of 177 pairs were used for pair-wise analyses of somatic symptoms. Severe symptoms, signs and life events were selected for analysing their relation to depression with somatic symptoms. RESULTS: The adolescents with depressive disorders experienced considerably more somatic symptoms than their healthy controls. The duration and depth of the depression correlated with the number of somatic symptoms. There was a strong correlation between depression with many somatic symptoms and suicidal plans/thoughts, suicidal attempts, disruptive behaviour, as well as multiple stressful relationships. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that somatic symptoms are common in adolescent depression. Multiple somatic symptoms within depression imply a higher severity in terms of duration, depth and psychiatric comorbidity. The strong correlation with suicidal plans, suicidal attempts and disruptive behaviour is concerning.
Authors: Gabriele Kohlboeck; Marcel Romanos; Christina M Teuner; Rolf Holle; Carla M T Tiesler; Barbara Hoffmann; Beate Schaaf; Irina Lehmann; Olf Herbarth; Sibylle Koletzko; Carl-Peter Bauer; Andrea von Berg; Dietrich Berdel; Joachim Heinrich Journal: Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2013-12-11 Impact factor: 4.785
Authors: Hyun-Ghang Jeong; Changsu Han; Moon Ho Park; Seung-Ho Ryu; Chi-Un Pae; Jun Young Lee; Seung Hyun Kim; David C Steffens Journal: Asia Pac Psychiatry Date: 2014-06-03 Impact factor: 2.538
Authors: Hannes Bohman; Ulf Jonsson; Aivar Päären; Lars von Knorring; Gunilla Olsson; Anne-Liis von Knorring Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2012-07-27 Impact factor: 3.630