Multivariate logistic regression analyses of data from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (N=1,783) showed that when depressive disorders preceded anxiety disorders, patients had a significantly shorter duration of symptoms (p<0.01), fewer fear symptoms (p<0.01), and later age at onset (p<0.001) compared with patients with anxiety disorders preceding depressive disorders.2 No associations that would determine the precedence of anxiety or depressive disorders were found with sociodemographic or vulnerability variables.2
References:
- Kessler RC, Sampson NA, Berglund P, et al. Anxious and non-anxious major depressive disorder in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci 2015; 24 (3): 210–226.
- Lamers F, van Oppen P, Comijs HC, et al. Comorbidity patterns of anxiety and depressive disorders in a large cohort study: the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). J Clin Psychiatry 2011; 72 (3): 341–348.