The following is a summary of the “Sex differences in residual somatic symptoms in patients with first-episode depression after acute-phase treatment,” published in the February 2023 issue of Psychiatry by Shi, et al.

Patients with depression often experience what are known as residual somatic symptoms (RSS), which are predictive of the success of treatment. Nonetheless, there has been a lack of comprehensive research into the sex variations in RSS. The purpose of this research was to examine whether or not there were significant sex differences in the prevalence of RSS among those who had recently experienced a first episode of depression (FED). To date, 982 FED patients have been identified and treated for 8-12 weeks. They looked at the demographics of the participants and whether or not they had any lingering signs of depression. 

Quality of life is measured with the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF), the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) measures patient function, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) measures residual physical symptoms. With FED, 46.4% of people experienced RSS. Female patients with lingering symptoms tended to be older and to have an earlier age of onset than male patients, while male patients had more years of education. Females reported worse “stomach ache” than males, while males reported more severe “trouble sleeping.” 

According to the results of a multiple regression analysis, the total Q-LES-Q-SF score was a significant predictor of RSS in both sexes, while the total SDS score was significant only for women. In FED, RSS is common even after the initial symptoms have subsided. For example, whereas “trouble sleeping” is more common in men, “stomachache” is more common in women. For both sexes, QoL is a crucial factor in RSS. This suggests that sex should be factored in when evaluating the effectiveness of RSS for treating depression.

Source: bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-023-04612-3