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. 2006 Feb;14(2):169-75.
doi: 10.1097/01.JGP.0000192488.66049.4b.

Test characteristics of the 15-item geriatric depression scale and Hamilton depression rating scale in Parkinson disease

Daniel Weintraub  1 , Katherine A Oehlberg, Ira R Katz, Matthew B Stern
Affiliations

Test characteristics of the 15-item geriatric depression scale and Hamilton depression rating scale in Parkinson disease

Daniel Weintraub et al. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2006 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) in patients with Parkinson disease (PD).

Method: A convenience sample of 148 outpatients with idiopathic PD receiving specialty care completed the GDS-15 and were administered the HDRS and Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (SCID) depression module by a research psychiatrist or trained research assistant. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted for the GDS-15 and HDRS scores with a SCID diagnosis of a depressive disorder as the state variable.

Results: Thirty-two subjects (22%) were diagnosed with a depressive disorder. The discriminant validity of the GDS-15 and HDRS were both high (ROC area under the curve: 0.92 and 0.91, respectively), with greatest dichotomization for the GDS-15 at a cutoff of 4/5 (87% accuracy, 88% sensitivity, 85% specificity) and the HDRS at a cutoff of 9/10 (83% accuracy, 88% sensitivity, 78% specificity).

Conclusions: The GDS-15 performs well as a screening instrument and in distinguishing depressed from nondepressed patients in PD. Its test characteristics are comparable to the HDRS. Because it is a brief instrument and can be self-administered, it is an excellent depression screening tool in this population.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. ROC Curve for the GDS-15 versus DSM–IV Diagnosis of Depression
ROC: receiver-operating characteristic; GDS-15: 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale.
Figure 2
Figure 2. ROC Curve for HDRS versus DSM–IV Diagnosis of Depression
ROC: receiver-operating characteristic; HDRS: Hamilton Depression Rating Scale.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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