Thomas Carmody

The 16-Item quick inventory of depressive symptomatology (QIDS), clinician rating (QIDS-C), and self-report (QIDS-SR): a psychometric evaluation in patients with chronic major depression

The 16-item Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS), a new measure of depressive symptom severity derived from the 30-item Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (IDS), is available in both self-report (QIDS-SR(16)) and clinician-rated (QIDS-C(16)) formats. This report evaluates and compares the psychometric properties of the QIDS-SR(16) in relation to the IDS-SR(30) and the 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D(24)) in 596 adult outpatients treated for chronic nonpsychotic, major depressive disorder. Internal consistency was high for the QIDS-SR(16) (Cronbachs alpha =.86), the IDS-SR(30) (Cronbachs alpha =.92), and the HAM-D(24) (Cronbachs alpha =.88). QIDS-SR(16) total scores were highly correlated with IDS-SR(30) (.96) and HAM-D(24) (.86) total scores. Item-total correlations revealed that several similar items were highly correlated with both QIDS-SR(16) and IDS-SR(30) total scores. Roughly 1.3 times the QIDS-SR(16) total score is predictive of the HAM-D(17) (17-item version of the HAM-D) total score. The QIDS-SR(16) was as sensitive to symptom change as the IDS-SR(30) and HAM-D(24), indicating high concurrent validity for all three scales. The QIDS-SR(16) has highly acceptable psychometric properties, which supports the usefulness of this brief rating of depressive symptom severity in both clinical and research settings.

The Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, Clinician Rating (IDS-C) and Self-Report (IDS-SR), and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, Clinician Rating (QIDS-C) and Self-Report (QIDS-SR) in public sector patients with mood disorders: a psychometric evaluation.

BACKGROUND The present study provides additional data on the psychometric properties of the 30-item Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (IDS) and of the recently developed Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS), a brief 16-item symptom severity rating scale that was derived from the longer form. Both the IDS and QIDS are available in matched clinician-rated (IDS-C30; QIDS-C16) and self-report (IDS-SR30; QIDS-SR16) formats. METHOD The patient samples included 544 out-patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 402 out-patients with bipolar disorder (BD) drawn from 19 regionally and ethnicically diverse clinics as part of the Texas Medication Algorithm Project (TMAP). Psychometric analyses including sensitivity to change with treatment were conducted. RESULTS Internal consistencies (Cronbachs alpha) ranged from 0.81 to 0.94 for all four scales (QIDS-C16, QIDS-SR16, IDS-C30 and IDS-SR30) in both MDD and BD patients. Sad mood, involvement, energy, concentration and self-outlook had the highest item-total correlations among patients with MDD and BD across all four scales. QIDS-SR16 and IDS-SR30 total scores were highly correlated among patients with MDD at exit (c = 0.83). QIDS-C16 and IDS-C30 total scores were also highly correlated among patients with MDD (c = 0.82) and patients with BD (c = 0.81). The IDS-SR30, IDS-C30, QIDS-SR16, and QIDS-C16 were equivalently sensitive to symptom change, indicating high concurrent validity for all four scales. High concurrent validity was also documented based on the SF-12 Mental Health Summary score for the population divided in quintiles based on their IDS or QIDS score. CONCLUSION The QIDS-SR16 and QIDS-C16, as well as the longer 30-item versions, have highly acceptable psychometric properties and are treatment sensitive measures of symptom severity in depression.

Prognostic factors, recurrence, and survival in transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract: a 30-year experience in 252 patients

OBJECTIVES To review a large single-center experience of patients treated for upper tract transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) with extended follow-up in order to identify patterns of recurrence, assess patient outcomes, and determine the impact of traditional prognostic factors. METHODS We reviewed 252 patients treated surgically for upper tract TCC with a median follow-up of 64 months. Most patients (77%) underwent nephroureterectomy, whereas 17% were treated with a parenchymal sparing approach. Traditional prognostic factors including age, sex, tumor stage, grade, location, and type of surgical treatment were analyzed with respect to disease recurrence and survival. RESULTS Disease relapse occurred in 67 patients (27%) at a median time of 12.0 months. Recurrences were local in the retroperitoneum (9%), the bladder (51%), remaining upper tract (18%), or distant in the lung, bone, or liver (22%). The 6 patients with local relapse were among the 73 patients with pT3 or pT4 tumors, and all died of TCC at a median time from diagnosis of 37 months. Significant prognostic factors for recurrence by univariate analysis were tumor grade (P = 0.0014) and stage (P = 0.0001). On multivariate analysis, only tumor stage (P = 0.017) and treatment modality (P = 0.020) were predictors of recurrence. Actuarial 5-year disease-specific survival rates by primary tumor stage were 100% for Ta/cis, 91.7% for T1, 72.6% for T2, and 40.5% for T3. Patients with primary Stage T4 tumors had a median survival of 6 months. Although tumor stage and grade correlated with disease-specific survival on univariate analysis, only patient age (P = 0.042) and stage (P = 0.0001) were significant on multivariate analysis with the type of surgical procedure performed approaching significance (P = 0.0504). CONCLUSIONS Primary tumor stage and surgical procedure performed (radical versus parenchymal sparing) are important predictors of disease recurrence. Patient age and tumor stage were the only predictors of disease-specific survival on multivariate analysis with the type of surgical procedure approaching significance. Radical nephroureterectomy achieves excellent local control even in the setting of locally advanced (pT3 or T4) disease. The major clinical feature in this setting is distant failure, and the development of effective systemic therapy is needed to improve the outcome in these patients.

Effect Size of Lithium, Divalproex Sodium, and Carbamazepine in Children and Adolescents With Bipolar Disorder

OBJECTIVE To develop effect sizes for 3 mood stabilizers--lithium, divalproex sodium, and carbamazepine--for the acute-phase treatment of bipolar I or II disorder, mixed or manic episode, in children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 years. METHOD Forty-two outpatients with a mean age of 11.4 years (20 with bipolar I disorder and 22 with bipolar II disorder) were randomly assigned to 6 weeks of open treatment with either lithium, divalproex sodium, or carbamazepine. The primary efficacy measures were the weekly Clinical Global Impression Improvement scores and the Young Mania Rating Scale (Y-MRS). RESULTS Using a > or = 50% change from baseline to exit in the Y-MRS scores to define response, the effect size was 1.63 for divalproex sodium, 1.06 for lithium, and 1.00 for carbamazepine. Using this same response measure with the intent-to-treat sample, the response rates were as follows: sodium divalproex, 53%; lithium, 38%; and carbamazepine, 38% (chi 2(2) = 0.85, p = .60). All 3 mood stabilizers were well tolerated, and no serious adverse effects were seen. CONCLUSIONS Divalproex sodium, lithium, and carbamazepine all showed a large effect size in the open treatment of children and adolescents with bipolar I or II disorder in a mixed or manic episode.

An Evaluation of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression: A Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression Trial Report

BACKGROUND Nine DSM-IV-TR criterion symptom domains are evaluated to diagnose major depressive disorder (MDD). The Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS) provides an efficient assessment of these domains and is available as a clinician rating (QIDS-C16), a self-report (QIDS-SR16), and in an automated, interactive voice response (IVR) (QIDS-IVR16) telephone system. This report compares the performance of these three versions of the QIDS and the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD17). METHODS Data were acquired at baseline and exit from the first treatment step (citalopram) in the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) trial. Outpatients with nonpsychotic MDD who completed all four ratings within +/-2 days were identified from the first 1500 STAR*D subjects. Both item response theory and classical test theory analyses were conducted. RESULTS The three methods for obtaining QIDS data produced consistent findings regarding relationships between the nine symptom domains and overall depression, demonstrating interchangeability among the three methods. The HRSD17, while generally satisfactory, rarely utilized the full range of item scores, and evidence suggested multidimensional measurement properties. CONCLUSIONS In nonpsychotic MDD outpatients without overt cognitive impairment, clinician assessment of depression severity using either the QIDS-C16 or HRSD17 may be successfully replaced by either the self-report or IVR version of the QIDS.

A comparison of electronic monitoring vs. clinician rating of antipsychotic adherence in outpatients with schizophrenia

Antipsychotic non-adherence rates of outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder was assessed by electronic monitoring and clinician rating. Antipsychotic adherence was determined monthly over 3 consecutive months with (1) the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS) cap and (2) the Clinician Rating Scale. Non-adherence was defined as daily adherence of <70% during any one of three monthly evaluations for MEMS and ratings of <or=4 (scale of 1-7) on the Clinician Rating Scale. Non-adherence was detected in 12 of 25 patients (48%) by MEMS and 0% by the Clinician Rating Scale. Clinician assessment dramatically underestimated antipsychotic non-adherence.

Fluoxetine in child and adolescent depression: Acute and maintenance treatment

The objective was to present naturalistic 1‐year follow‐up information of 96 child and adolescent outpatients with major depressive disorder who had been randomized in an 8‐week double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial of fluoxetine.

The Montgomery Asberg and the Hamilton ratings of depression: a comparison of measures.

The 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD(17)) and the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) are two widely used clinician-rated symptom scales. A 6-item version of the HRSD (HRSD(6)) was created by Bech to address the psychometric limitations of the HRSD(17). The psychometric properties of these measures were compared using classical test theory (CTT) and item response theory (IRT) methods. IRT methods were used to equate total scores on any two scales. Data from two distinctly different outpatient studies of nonpsychotic major depression: a 12-month study of highly treatment-resistant patients (n=233) and an 8-week acute phase drug treatment trial (n=985) were used for robustness of results. MADRS and HRSD(6) items generally contributed more to the measurement of depression than HRSD(17) items as shown by higher item-total correlations and higher IRT slope parameters. The MADRS and HRSD(6) were unifactorial while the HRSD(17) contained 2 factors. The MADRS showed about twice the precision in estimating depression as either the HRSD(17) or HRSD(6) for average severity of depression. An HRSD(17) of 7 corresponded to an 8 or 9 on the MADRS and 4 on the HRSD(6). The MADRS would be superior to the HRSD(17) in the conduct of clinical trials.

Exercise as an augmentation treatment for nonremitted major depressive disorder: a randomized, parallel dose comparison.

OBJECTIVE Most patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) require second-step treatments to achieve remission. The Treatment with Exercise Augmentation for Depression (TREAD) study was designed to test the efficacy of aerobic exercise as an augmentation treatment for MDD patients who had not remitted with antidepressant treatment. METHOD Eligible participants in this randomized controlled trial were sedentary individuals (men and women aged 18-70 years) diagnosed with DSM-IV nonpsychotic MDD who had not remitted with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) treatment. Participants were recruited through physician referrals and advertisements. A total of 126 participants were randomized to augmentation treatment with either 16 kcal per kg per week (KKW) or 4 KKW of exercise expenditure for 12 weeks while SSRI treatment was held constant. Supervised sessions were conducted at The Cooper Institute, Dallas, Texas, with additional home-based sessions as needed to fulfill the weekly exercise prescription. The primary outcome was remission (as determined by a score ≤ 12 on the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology, Clinician-Rated). The study took place between August 2003 and August 2007. RESULTS There were significant improvements over time for both groups combined (F₁,₁₂₁ = 39.9, P < .0001), without differential group effect (group effect: F₁,₁₃₄ = 3.2, P = .07; group-by-time effect: F₁,₁₁₉ = 3.8, P = .06). Adjusted remission rates at week 12 were 28.3% versus 15.5% for the 16-KKW and 4-KKW groups, respectively, leading to a number needed to treat (NNT) of 7.8 for 16 KKW versus 4 KKW. Men, regardless of family history of mental illness, and women without a family history of mental illness had higher remission rates by week 12 with higher-dose (women, 39.0%; men, 85.4%) than with lower-dose exercise (women, 5.6%; men, 0.1%) (women: t₉₅ = 2.1, P = .04; men: t₈₈ = 5.4, P < .0001) (NNT: women, 3.0; men, 1.2). CONCLUSIONS There was a trend for higher remission rates in the higher-dose exercise group (P < .06), with a clinically meaningful NNT of 7.8 in favor of the high exercise dose. Significant differences between groups were found when the moderating effects of gender and family history of mental illness were taken into account and suggest that higher-dose exercise may be better for all men and for women without a family history of mental illness. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00076258.

Mood changes during prednisone bursts in outpatients with asthma

Corticosteroids, such as prednisone and dexamethasone, are frequently prescribed medications sometimes associated with severe systemic side effects. Currently there are limited data regarding the psychiatric side effects of these medications, although mood changes and even psychoses have been reported. This study was designed to quantify psychiatric changes during brief courses of prednisone in patients with asthma. Outpatients with asthma (N = 32) receiving bursts of prednisone (>40 mg/day) were evaluated before, during, and after corticosteroid therapy by use of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the Young Mania Scale, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, and the Internal State Scale. A Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV disorders was also conducted to examine past psychiatric history. Highly significant increases in the Young Mania Scale and Activation subscale of the Internal State Scale (both measures of mania) were observed with no increase in depression measures during the first 3 to 7 days of prednisone therapy. Mood changes were not correlated with improvement in airway obstruction, suggesting that mood elevations may not be in response to improvement in asthma symptoms. Subjects with past or current symptoms of depression had a significant decrease in depressive symptoms during prednisone therapy compared with those without depression. Some patients with posttraumatic stress disorder reported increases in depression and memories of the traumatic event during prednisone therapy. In summary, statistically significant changes in mood were observed even during brief courses of corticosteroids at modest dosages. The symptoms were primarily manic, not depressive. Persons with depression did not become more depressed during prednisone therapy, and, in fact, some showed improvement.