Depression among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients and its Relationship with Disease Severity

Abstract

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory autoimmune illness characterized by symmetric peripheral polyarthritis. Studies showed that there is an association between inflammation and depression, so most RA patients are suffering from depression. People with RA are twice as likely to have depression as the general population. Prevalence estimates for depression among RA patients range between 9.5%, 8, and 41.5%. Objectives: To study the prevalence of depression among rheumatoid arthritis patients and its relationship with disease severity Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among patients diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis and attending King Khalid Majmaah Hospital (KKMH). for follow-up. Fifty-seven patients were studied. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire and then analyzed using the SPSS Software program. This study protected the confidentiality of participants, and ethical approval was obtained from the King Fahad Medical City Review Board. Results: Most of the participants of this study were married females. 59.6% had been diagnosed with RA for less than five years, and Joint deformities were found in 19.3%. Prevalence of depression RA patients participated in this study. Only 12.3% were moderately depressed, so regular assessment of the RA patients is needed. HAQ results showed that 56.1% were categorized as 0 to 1. No significant association was found between the severity of depression and age group, gender, occupational status, diagnosis duration, family history of RA, joint deformities, serology markers, and conventional or biologic DMARDs. Conclusion: In this study, the prevalence of depression among the RA studied group was 28.1%. Among them, 12.3% were moderately depressed, and the rest had mild depression, so regular assessment of depression symptoms among the RA patients is needed, and antidepressants should be given if the depression worsens. Health-related quality of life (HAQ) results showed that 56.1% were categorized as 0 to 1. No significant association was found between the severity of RA and the level of depression. More extensive sample size studies? We need to confirm our findings in the future.