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Computed Tomography and the Outcome of Affective Disorder: A Follow-up Study of Elderly Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Robin J. Jacoby ,
Raymond Levy  and
Jonathan M. Bird
Robin J. Jacoby
Affiliation:
The Middlesex Hospital, Mortimer Street, London W1N 8AA
Raymond Levy
Affiliation:
De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF
Jonathan M. Bird
Affiliation:
The Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals and the Institute of Psychiatry, Dc Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF
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Summary

Forty-one subjects from an earlier study, who had undergone computed tomography (CT) during their in-patient care for affective disorder, were followed up clinically for a minimum of one year. Mortality at two years was also determined, and comparisons made with 50 age-matched controls. Those with affective disorder showed a higher mortality than controls, but the difference just failed to reach significance. Within the affective group, however, mortality was significantly higher in patients who had previously shown ventricular enlargement on CT, confirming our earlier suggestion that these patients might have constituted a distinct subgroup. Failure of the affective group to improve performance on a simple cognitive test at follow-up was related to persisting depression. These and other findings are discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 139 , Issue 4 , October 1981 , pp. 288 - 292
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1981 

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