In the present analysis we have focussed on the following clinician-administrated rating scales:
The Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D17) in combination with the Melancholia Scale (MES) with a scoring sheet [16 , 17 ] in which a Visual Analogue Scale for Depression Severity (VAS) is placed at the bottom as a horizontal line from 0 (no depression) to 100 mm (extreme depression). The interviewer is asked to score the VAS before completing the HAM-D17 and MES. The LEAD procedure (Longitudinal Expert Assessment of All Data) was thus used to make the global severity assessment of depressive states taking into account all available data over the past three days.
As discussed elsewhere [17 ] the horizontal version (yard stick-line) with descriptive cues at each end and 100 mm in between is generally preferred.
The LEAD principle was used to clinically validate the HAM-D17 [13 ] which resulted in that six of the Hamilton items (depressed mood, guilt feelings, work and interests, psychomotor retardation, psychic anxiety, and general somatics (fatigability)), HAM-D6, were found to be most valid when associated with experienced psychiatrists’ global assessment of depression severity. The Bech-Rafaelsen Melancholia Scale (MES) was developed to capture the six HAM-D6 core items with reference to the Cronholm-Ottosson Depression Scale [21 ]. For a review of the MES, see [22 ].
The three depression symptom rating scales (HAM-D17, HAM-D6, MES) were rated on a weekly basis by KM and ML, as was the VAS, using the time frame of the past three days for the VAS as well. The MDI was also completed each week by the patients. The clinicians (KM, ML) had no access to the MDI scorings. The inter-rater reliability of KM and ML as Danish University Antidepressant Group (DUAG) raters has been found acceptable with intraclass coefficients of 0.89 (HAM-D6), 0.93 (HAM-D17) and 0.91 (MES) [Martiny et al.: Relapse prevention in major depressive disorder: A four-arm randomised 6-month double-blind comparison of three fixed dosages of escitalopram and a fixed dose of nortriptyline in patients successfully treated with acute electroconvulsive treatment (DUAG-7) – Submitted 2015].
The Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D17) in combination with the Melancholia Scale (MES) with a scoring sheet [16 , 17 ] in which a Visual Analogue Scale for Depression Severity (VAS) is placed at the bottom as a horizontal line from 0 (no depression) to 100 mm (extreme depression). The interviewer is asked to score the VAS before completing the HAM-D17 and MES. The LEAD procedure (Longitudinal Expert Assessment of All Data) was thus used to make the global severity assessment of depressive states taking into account all available data over the past three days.
As discussed elsewhere [17 ] the horizontal version (yard stick-line) with descriptive cues at each end and 100 mm in between is generally preferred.
The LEAD principle was used to clinically validate the HAM-D17 [13 ] which resulted in that six of the Hamilton items (depressed mood, guilt feelings, work and interests, psychomotor retardation, psychic anxiety, and general somatics (fatigability)), HAM-D6, were found to be most valid when associated with experienced psychiatrists’ global assessment of depression severity. The Bech-Rafaelsen Melancholia Scale (MES) was developed to capture the six HAM-D6 core items with reference to the Cronholm-Ottosson Depression Scale [21 ]. For a review of the MES, see [22 ].
The three depression symptom rating scales (HAM-D17, HAM-D6, MES) were rated on a weekly basis by KM and ML, as was the VAS, using the time frame of the past three days for the VAS as well. The MDI was also completed each week by the patients. The clinicians (KM, ML) had no access to the MDI scorings. The inter-rater reliability of KM and ML as Danish University Antidepressant Group (DUAG) raters has been found acceptable with intraclass coefficients of 0.89 (HAM-D6), 0.93 (HAM-D17) and 0.91 (MES) [Martiny et al.: Relapse prevention in major depressive disorder: A four-arm randomised 6-month double-blind comparison of three fixed dosages of escitalopram and a fixed dose of nortriptyline in patients successfully treated with acute electroconvulsive treatment (DUAG-7) – Submitted 2015].
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