Polysomnography and depressive symptoms in primary alcoholics with and without a lifetime diagnosis of secondary depression and in patients with primary major depression

Background: There is evidence suggesting that there is: (1) additive polysomnographic effects of alcoholism and depression; and (2) elevated baseline REM density in primary alcoholics with (PASD) and without lifetime history of secondary depression (NPA). Methods: 23 PASDs, 59 NPAs, and 23 primary major depression patients (PMD) underwent polysomnography. Any drinking within 3 months after a 1-month inpatient alcohol rehabilitation defined relapse. Results: PASDs' polysomnography was more like NPAs than PMDs. Polysomnography reflected 3-month sobriety status more than diagnosis. Limitations: Not all PASD's met full major depression criteria upon admission. Conclusions: Alcoholism affected polysomnography more than depression. Elevated admission REM density predicted 3-month relapse in PASDs and NPAs. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.