The validity of the Hamilton and Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scales as screening and diagnostic tools for depression in Parkinson's disease

Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2000 Jul;15(7):644-9. doi: 10.1002/1099-1166(200007)15:7<644::aid-gps167>3.0.co;2-l.

Abstract

The concurrent validity of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17) and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) against the DSM-IV diagnosis 'depressive disorder' was assessed in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Sixty-three non-demented Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients who attended the outpatient department of an academic hospital were diagnosed according to a standardised research protocol. This protocol consisted of the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) to establish the presence or absence of 'depressive disorder' according to the DSM-IV criteria, as well as the HAMD-17 and the MADRS. Receiver Operating Characteristics curves (ROC curves) were obtained and the positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) were calculated for different cut-off scores. Maximum discrimination between depressed and non-depressed patients was reached at a cut-off score of 13/14 for the HAMD-17, and at 14/15 for the MADRS. At lower cut-offs, like 11/12 for the HAMD-17 and 14/15 for the MADRS, the high sensitivity and NPV make these scales good screening instruments. At higher cut-offs, such as 16/17 for the HAMD-17 and 17/18 for the MADRS, the high specificity and PPV make these instruments good diagnostic instruments. The diagnostics performance of the HAMD-17 is slightly better than that of the MADRS. This study shows that it is justified to use the HAMD-17 and the MADRS to measure depressive symptoms in both non-depressed and depressed PD patients, to diagnose depressive disorder in PD, and to dichotomize patient samples into depressed and non-depressed groups.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Depressive Disorder / diagnosis*
  • Depressive Disorder / etiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Parkinson Disease / complications*
  • Parkinson Disease / psychology*
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / standards*
  • Psychometrics
  • ROC Curve
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity