Inaccuracies

The article is relevant in the healthcare setting but contains some inaccuracies.

• It is not clear when or whether relative frequency/rate refers to diagnostic cases or individuals.

• In the article, the diagnostic category ICD-10 F33.4 (“Recurrent depressive disorder, currently in remission”) is included with the other or not further specified depressive disorders and categorized as non-specific. It is, however, a specific diagnostic category that applies to clinically mostly asymptomatic states in the context of depressive disorders. These formally do not require inpatient care but as a rule exclusively outpatient care. The association shown is relevant as the authors of the article categorize 47.2% of all coded diagnoses of depression as non-unspecific. (What‘s the proportion of cases/individuals with the code ICD-10 F33.4?)

• In the analysis of outpatient medication provision, only the ATC groups of antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and lithium were considered. Regularly, however, psychopharmacotherapy for depressive disorders includes further substances (for example, anxiolytics [ATC N05B] or hypnotics and sedatives [ATC N05C]. This is especially the case for persons with depressive disorders who have other comorbid psychological/mental disorders. To assess the outpatient medication provision adequately, all substances in the ATC group N (nervous system) should have been considered.

• In the summary, the conclusion is drawn that healthcare services for patients with depressive disorders are particularly deficient in diagnosing the disorder and assessing its severity. (The discussion does not include any corresponding interpretation.) The results of the present study do, however, not allow such a conclusion.