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Not much is known about the long-term outcome of major depressive disorder (MDD) that arises in adolescence. This international, prospective, case-control study looked at the prognosis, and the results are disquieting.
Seventy-three adolescents (Tanner stages 3 through 5) diagnosed with MDD from 1977 through 1985 were followed up 10 to 15 years later and compared with 37 adolescents without psychiatric illness by a team unaware of the initial diagnosis. About half of the subjects with adolescent-onset MDD made one suicide attempt before or during the follow-up period; 22% made multiple attempts (both results significantly greater than controls). Subjects with adolescent-onset MDD had twice the risk for recurrence of their MDD, but not for ot…