Depressive symptoms, assessed using a self-report type of questionnaire, have been associated with poor outcomes in dialysis patients. Here is determined if depressive disorders diagnosed by physicians are also associated with such outcomes. Ninety-eight consecutive patients on chronic hemodialysis underwent the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders administered by a physician. Depression was diagnosed in about a quarter of the patients. The finding of poor outcome using a formal structured physician interview suggests that a prospective study is needed to determine whether treatment of depression affects clinical outcomes.
