Table 2.
Comparison of clinical characteristics between late-life depression (MDD) with and without dementia
| Dementia (+) | Dementia (–) | P | |
| Total | 12 | 33 | |
| Sex (female) | 10 (83.3%) | 26 (78.8%) | 0.55 |
| Age (range) (y) | 78.3±6.6 (65–87) | 73.4±6.2 (65–85) | 0.028* |
| Education (y) | 11.8±2.6 | 12.1±2.4 | 0.789 |
| Age at onset of depression (y) | 76.9±6.3 | 62.2±14.0 | <0.001*** |
| First depressive episode at this admission | 11 (91.7%) | 10 (30.3%) | <0.001*** |
| Length of hospital stay (days) | 95.0±80.3 | 125.2±88.9 | 0.156 |
| HAMD-17 total | 20.0±8.0 (n = 7) | 23.8±7.9 (n = 29) | 0.276 |
| MMSE total | 17.9±5.4 (n = 12) | 24.7±4.5 (n = 16) | 0.002** |
| ECT while in the hospital | 2 (16.7%) | 14 (42.4%) | 0.105 |
| Brain CT/MRI | 12 | 33 | |
| Brain perfusion SPECT | 11 (91.7%) | 17 (51.5%) | |
| MIBG | 11 (91.7%) | 16 (48.5%) | |
| DAT scan | 10 (83.3%) | 12 (36.4%) | |
| Mean SBR in DAT imaging | 2.9±1.3 | 4.4±1.3 | 0.017* |
Values are expressed as mean±standard deviation. *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001. HAMD-17, 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; MMSE, Mini-Mental State Examination; ECT, electroconvulsive therapy; SPECT, single-photon emission computed tomography; MIBG, 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine myocardial scintigraphy; DAT, dopamine transporter; SBR, specific binding ratio.