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MDD Admissions Shift With Seasons, Study Finds
A recent study in the Journal of Affective Disorders suggests seasonal fluctuations in inpatient admissions for major depressive disorder (MDD), with rates dipping in the summer and December and highest in post-holidays winter.
“The predictability of seasonal changes in MDD represents an important indicator for prevention measures,” wrote lead author Matthäus Fellinger, MD, of the Medical University of Vienna, Austria, and coauthors. “A promising strategy might be the timely utilization of bright light therapy, which has been shown to be efficacious in seasonal as well as nonseasonal depressive disorders as well as the application of antidepressants or the implementation of psychotherapeutic approaches.”
The study assessed all inpatient admissions in mental health hospitals for MDD episodes in Austria between 2003 and 2016. The sample consisted of 231,824 hospitalizations: 48.8% for moderate depressive episodes, 39.6% for severe depressive episodes, and 11.6% for severe depressive episodes with psychotic features. Women comprised 63.2% of the admissions.
Related: Identifying and Treating the Many Forms of Depression
Inpatient admissions for MDD showed a significant seasonal pattern, according to the study. For moderate and severe depressive episodes, admission rates were lower in the summer months of June to August and in December, researchers reported, and were higher in the winter months of January to March.
In women with psychotic depression, a significant admission decline occurred only in December. Men with psychotic depression showed no seasonal variation, the study found.
When researchers considered age, they found more pronounced seasonal patterns in patients younger than 56 years.
“Interestingly, the length of stay in hospital showed a seasonal variation similar to the admission rates,” researchers reported, “and underlines the increased need for inpatient care due to increased symptoms of MDD at specific times of the year.”
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