MDD Prevalence Tripled in Female Huntington Disease Patients

The prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) at a major health system was 3 times higher in female patients with Huntington disease (HD) than in male patients, according to a poster presentation on May 5, 2024, at the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting in New York, New York.

“This study reveals a distinct pattern of gender-based disparity in the prevalence of MDD comorbidity among HD patients within the University of Virginia Health System,” wrote Elli Novatcheva, MD, of the University of Virginia, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, in the poster “These findings underscore the need for tailored diagnostic and treatment approaches in this vulnerable patient population.”

The study, co-authored by Dr Novatcheva and colleagues David Chung, MD, Abigail Wang, MD, and Anita Clayton, MD, identified 285 patients with HD from a database that spanned 1.6 million patients from the University of Virginia Health System. Single major depressive episodes (MDE) as well as recurrent episodes, defined as MDD, were identified by diagnostic codes.

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Among the 143 female patients with HD, 61 had a single MDE. Among 142 male patients with HD, 38 had a single MDE, according to the abstract. Only 20 patients (7%) in all—15 female (10.49%) and 5 male (3.52%)—had MDD. The average age of patients with comorbid HD and MDD was 47 for women and a notably older 72 for men, the abstract reported. 

“The female-to-male (F:M) prevalence ratio of MDD comorbidity with HD was 2.98, indicating a substantial gender-based disparity within this comorbidity,” Dr Novatcheva wrote.

In comparison, the World Health Organization reports a global MDD prevalence of 6% in women and 4% in men (F:M prevalence ratio of 1.5), the abstract pointed out. Additionally, MDE prevalence among US adults in 2021 was a reported 10.3% in women and 6.2% in men (F:M prevalence ratio of 1.7).

“Future research should consider the role of sex and gender in the pathogenesis and progression of HD, which has implications for the development of novel and effective therapies for this devastating illness,” Dr Novatcheva advised.

Reference

Novatcheva E, Chung D, Wang A, Clayton A. Comorbidity of major depressive disorder in Huntington’s disease patients: gender disparities and clinical implications. Poster presented at the American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting; May 4-8, 2024; New York, New York