Can chronotype function as predictor of a persistent course of depressive and anxiety disorder?

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders Vol. 242; pp. 159 - 164
• Main Authors: Druiven, S.J.M., Knapen, S.E., Penninx, B.W.J.H., Antypa, N., Schoevers, R.A., Riese, H., Meesters, Y.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.01.2019
• Subjects: Anxiety disorder; Chronobiology; Chronotype; Circadian rhythm; Depressive disorder; Chronotype; Circadian rhythm; Chronobiology; Anxiety disorder; Depressive disorder
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.08.064

•A later chronotype does not predict a persistent course of depressive disorder.•A later chronotype does also not predict a persistent course of anxiety disorder.•Results were similar for the two-year and four-year course.•Chronotype might not be useful for predicting a persistent course in clinical settings. The role of chronotype, the individual timing of sleep/activity, has been studied in relation to depressive and anxiety disorders. A cross-sectional association between a depressive episode and evening-type has been identified. However, until now the predicting capacity of chronotype concerning persistence of psychiatric disorders remains unclear. Our aim is to examine whether a later chronotype in patients with a depressive and/or anxiety disorder can serve as a predictor of a persistent course. A subsample of patients with a depressive and/or anxiety disorder diagnosis and chronotype data of the longitudinal Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA) was used. Diagnosis of depressive and anxiety disorders (1-month DSM-IV based diagnosis) were determined at baseline (n = 505). From this group persistence was determined at 2-year (FU2) (persistent course: n = 248, non-persistent course: n = 208) and 4-year follow-up (FU4) (persistent course: n = 151, non-persistent course: n = 264). Chronotype was assessed at baseline with the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire. A later chronotype did not predict a persistent course of depressive and/or anxiety disorder at FU2 (OR (95% CI) = 0.99 (0.83–1.19), P = 0.92) or at FU4 (OR (95% CI) = 0.94 (0.77–1.15), P = 0.57). Persistence was defined as having a diagnosis of depressive and/or anxiety disorder at the two-year and four-year follow-up, patients may have remitted and relapsed between assessments. Chronotype, measured as actual sleep timing, of patients with a depressive or anxiety disorder did not predict a persistent course which suggests it might be unsuitable as predictive tool in clinical settings.