An evaluation of the Quick Inventory Of Depressive Symptomatology and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression: A Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression trial report

Background: Nine DSM-IV-TR criterion symptom domains are evaluated to diagnose major depressive disorder (MDD). The Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS) provides an efficient assessment of these domains and is available as a clinician rating (QIDS-C₁₆), a self-report (QIDS-SR₁₆), and in an automated, interactive voice response (IVR) (QIDS-IVR₁₆) telephone system. This report compares the performance of these three versions of the QIDS and the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD₁₇). Methods: Data were acquired at baseline and exit from the first treatment step (citalopram) in the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR* (*)D) trial. Outpatients with nonpsychotic MDD who completed all four ratings within ±2 days were identified from the first 1500 STAR* (*)D subjects. Both item response theory and classical test theory analyses were conducted. Results: The three methods for obtaining QIDS data produced consistent findings regarding relationships between the nine symptom domains and overall depression, demonstrating interchangeability among the three methods. The HRSD₁₇, while generally satisfactory, rarely utilized the full range of item scores, and evidence suggested multidimensional measurement properties. Conclusions: In nonpsychotic MDD outpatients without overt cognitive impairment, clinician assessment of depression severity using either the QIDS-C₁₆ or HRSD₁₇ may be successfully replaced by either the self-report or IVR version of the QIDS.