Table 1. Demographical and clinical characteristics of the MDD patients and matched healthy control.
| Patients (n=23) | Healthy (n=22) | Group difference Pa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 50.7 (8.5) | 50.8 (8.8) | 0.98 |
| Sex (male/female) | 8/15 | 8/14 | 0.91b |
| Education (1–5)c | 3.2 (0.9) | 3.4 (0.8) | 0.58 |
| Handedness (right/left) | 21/2 | 19/3 | 0.60b |
| HDRS 17 baseline | 21.9 (5.3) | — | — |
| HDRS 17 after ECT | 12.6 (7.1) | — | — |
| Responders (% of patients) | 13 (57%) | — | — |
| Age at onset (years) | 40.8 (10.9) | — | — |
| Number of depressive episodes | 2.8 (1.5) | — | — |
| Duration current episode (months) | 31.0 (52.7) | — | — |
| Psychotic features (present/not present) | 6/17 | — | — |
| Melancholic features (present/not present) | 15/8 | — | — |
| ECT sessions | 16.9 (6.2) | — | — |
Abbreviations: ECT, electroconvulsive therapy; HDRS, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 17 item; MDD, major depressive disorder.
Data are expressed as mean (s.d.) unless otherwise specified.
a
Independent t-test.
b
Pearson's X2 for categorical variables.
c
Educational level is coded level 1–5 (5=academic), according to the Dutch education system.