Eighty-seven patients with current episode of depression were assessed by the SCID-P and subdivided in bipolar depressives (N=24), unipolar depressives (n=38) and dysthymics (n=25).

Anxiety disorders comorbidity in these three groups was investigated by means of the SCID-P.

Panic disorder comorbidity was found in 36.8% of bipolar depressives. 31.4% of unipolar depressives and 13% of dysthymics.

Prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder was 21.1% in bipolars, 14.3% in unipolars and 8.7% in dysthymics.

Generalized anxiety disorder resulted in being much more associated with dysthymia (65.2%) than with bipolar (31.6%) or unipolar depression (37.1%). Social phobia comorbidity was exhibited mainly by unipolars (11.4%), while no cases were detected in the bipolar group.

Odds ratios revealed that generalized anxiety disorder is significantly more likely to co-occur with dysthymia.

Panic disorder showed a higher trend to be associated with bipolar and unipolar depression.

Social phobia was more frequent among unipolar depression.