The impacts of migraine, anxiety disorders, and chronic depression on quality of life in psychiatric outpatients with major depressive disorder

Objective: Our purpose was to determine if migraine, anxiety comorbidities, and chronic depression were independently related to health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in outpatients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Method: Consecutive psychiatric outpatients with MDD in a medical center were enrolled. MDD, chronic depression, and seven anxiety disorders were diagnosed using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR. Migraine was diagnosed based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 2nd edition. The acute version of the Short-Form 36 and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) were used to evaluate the HRQoL and the severity of depression, respectively. Multiple linear regressions were used to determine the independent factors related to HRQoL. Results: There were 135 participants (34 men, 101 women) with MDD. Subjects with migraine, anxiety comorbidities, or chronic depression had higher HAMD scores and poor HRQoL. Migraine, specific phobia, and panic disorder were important and independent comorbidities predicting HRQoL. The impact of migraine on HRQoL, especially on bodily pain, was not inferior to those of some anxiety comorbidities or chronic depression. Conclusion: Future studies related to HRQoL of MDD should consider migraine and anxiety comorbidities simultaneously.