Sleep disorders in outpatients with depressive disorder

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sleep disorders are a characteristic feature of depressive disorder and can occur in the first stages of depression, anticipate it or act as a residual symptom. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate sleep disorder complaints in outpatients with depressive disorder from a general hospital. METHODS: An observational, cross-sectional study was carried out with a test group of 70 patients (44 women and 26 men) with diagnosis of depressive disorder, according to the DSM-IV criteria. The patients were interviewed and evaluated by the Identification Questionnaire, the Sleep Habits Questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). RESULTS: In this study, 50 (71.3%) patients had recurrence of sleep disorder complaints. Mean BDI score was 35.83+8.85, with significant differences between patients with (38.50+8.70) and without (29.60+7.80) recurrence (p < 0.05) and among patients with 1, 2, 3 and >; 3 episodes (p < 0.05). In this study, 49 (70%) patients had insomnia and 21 (30%) had excessive sleepiness. Significant differences were observed between the mean duration in months of the sleep disorders (7.16+2.10) and the depressive disorder (6.12+1.90) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In the study sample, recurrence of sleep disorder complaints was high and significantly associated with severe depression. Insomnia was prevalent and the mean duration of sleep disorders was higher in relation to depressive disorder.