Data-driven subtypes of major depressive disorder: a systematic review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

According to current classification systems, patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) may have very different combinations of symptoms. This symptomatic diversity hinders the progress of research into the causal mechanisms and treatment allocation. Theoretically founded subtypes of depression such as atypical, psychotic, and melancholic depression have limited clinical applicability. Data-driven analyses of symptom dimensions or subtypes of depression are scarce. In this systematic review, we examine the evidence for the existence of data-driven symptomatic subtypes of depression.

Methods

We undertook a systematic literature search of MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Embase in May 2012. We included studies analyzing the depression criteria of the Diagnostic and Statisti

SUBMITTER: van Loo HM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3566979 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature