eMedicine Specialties > Psychiatry > Adult
Depression: Differential Diagnoses & Workup
Updated: May 26, 2009
- Overview
- Differential Diagnoses & Workup
- Treatment & Medication
- Follow-up
Differential Diagnoses
Other Problems to Be Considered
Dementia due to HIV disease
Thyrotoxicosis
Workup
Laboratory Studies
No diagnostic laboratory tests are available for diagnosis of major depressive disorder. Based on the clinical history and physical findings, focused laboratory studies are useful in excluding potential medical illnesses that may present as major depressive disorder. These might include the following:
- CBC count
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)
- Antinuclear antibody (ANA)
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
- Vitamin B-12
- Rapid plasma reagin (RPR)
- HIV test
- Electrolytes and calcium levels and renal function test
- Liver function tests
- Blood alcohol, blood, and urine toxicology screen
- ABG
- Dexamethasone suppression test (Cushing disease)
- Cosyntropin stimulation test (Addison disease)
Imaging Studies
- CT scan or MRI of the brain
Other Tests
- EEG
Procedures
More on Depression |
| Overview: Depression |
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Depression |
| Treatment & Medication: Depression |
| Follow-up: Depression |
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References
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Further Reading
Keywords
clinical depression, major depression, depression treatment, anxiety depression, major depressive disorder, MDD, unipolar depression, unipolar affective disorder, serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, SSRIs, tricyclic antidepressants, TCAs, norepinephrine, NE, dopamine, DA, suicide, suicidality, dysthymia, electroconvulsive therapy, ECT, electroshock therapy, shock therapy, light therapy
seasonal affective disorder, SAD, antidepressants, lithium, psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, CBT, neurasthenia, insomnia, hypersomnia, psychomotor agitation, psychomotor retardation, feelings of worthlessness, anhedonia, irritability, dementia of depression, pseudodementia, Parkinson disease, Huntington disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, seizure disorders, systemiclupuserythematosus, SLE, autoimmune cerebritis, obstructive sleep apnea, syphilis, Lyme disease, HIV encephalopathy, Addison disease, Cushing disease, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, prolactinomas
hyperparathyroidism, alcohol abuse, cocaine abuse, amphetamines abuse, marijuana abuse, narcotics abuse, inhalant abuse, bright light therapy, anxiety disorders, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, phobia, eating disorders, bulimia, anorexia nervosa, psychosis, organic brain syndrome, hopelessness, psychosocial stress, chronic pain
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Depression