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Prior uncontrolled studies of nonsmokers with major depressive disorder (MDD) indicate rapid reduction in depressive symptoms with nicotine patch therapy. This randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled pilot study examined the effect of nicotine patch therapy on depressive symptoms in non-medicated nonsmokers with current MDD. Due to recruitment difficulties, only 7 were enrolled and of these 6 (5 females, 1 male) completed the study. Participants received either placebo (n = 4) or active (n = 2) patch therapy for 8 days. They completed daily clinic visits during patch therapy and a final visit on Day 12. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD). The mean change in HRSD scores of all participants decreased (p = 0.021) from baseline by Day 1 of patch use. Similar decreases in HRSD scores were observed for placebo and active patch groups. Among the placebo participants, the mean HRSD score decreased (p = 0.038) by Day 2. The study needs replication with a larger sample and utilizing novel recruitment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To estimate long-term survival of unselected patients with anorexia nervosa from Rochester, Minn. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this population-based retrospective cohort study, all 208 Rochester residents who presented with anorexia nervosa (193 women and 15 men) for the first time from 1935 through 1989 were monitored for up to 63 years. Subsequent survival was compared with that expected for Minnesota white residents of similar age and sex, and standardized mortality ratios were determined on the basis of age- and sex-specific death rates for the US population in 1987. RESULTS: Survival was not worse than expected in this cohort (P = .16). The estimated survival 30 years after the initial diagnosis of anorexia nervosa was 93% (95% confidence interval, 88%-97%) compared with an expected 94%. During 5646 person-years of follow-up (median, 22 years per patient), 17 deaths occurred (14 women and 3 men) compared with an expected 23.7 deaths (standardized mortality ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.42-1.09). One woman died of complications of anorexia nervosa, 2 women committed suicide, and 6 patients (5 women and 1 man) died of complications of alcoholism. Other causes of death were not increased. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term survival of Rochester patients with anorexia nervosa did not differ from that expected. This finding suggests that overall mortality was not increased among the spectrum of cases representative of the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]