ICD-10 and the clinical features of depressions: data of the CIRCADIAN-I program

The data of the CIRCADIAN-I trial suggest that depressions are unsatisfactorily diagnosed in psychiatric practice. Thus, some of the ICD-10 diagnoses used to denote depressive states (dysthymia, cyclothymia) are made extremely rarely. Only comparatively short-term and reversible vital depressions are considered to be preferred for the categories of affective disorders (F.30-F.33). Any clinical deviations from this clinical presentation (sensitive, anxiety symptoms, a prolonged course, and no well-defined seasonal and circadian rhythms of mood worsening) are regarded as a guide for ruling out the diagnosis of affective disorder. At the same time depressive states are classified as schizophrenia, adjustment disorders, etc.