Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety in Adult Patients with β-Thalassemia Major and Intermedia

Abstract

To evaluate and compare the prevalence and risk factors for anxiety and depression in adults with beta-thalassemia major (TM) and intermedia (TI). A cross-sectional study of TI and TM patients at a Chronic Care Center in Lebanon. A total of 80 patients agreed to participate (32 TI (median age 24 years) and 48 TM (median age 23 years)). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaires were used to assess the depression and anxiety levels of patients, respectively. Data on patient demographics, clinical complications, and socioeconomic status were also collected. Patients with TM had a significantly longer median duration with a known thalassemia diagnosis than patients with TI (p < 0.001). A considerable proportion of patients had depression (35.0%), State (S)-anxiety (22.5%) or Trait (T)-anxiety (36.2%). Patients with TI had a higher median S-anxiety score compared with TM (p = 0.035), although the median T-anxiety and depression scores were similar. On linear regression analysis, the significant association between the thalassemia diagnosis (TM versus TI) and S-anxiety score (beta: 5.740; 95% CI: 0.201 to 11.278; p = 0.042) was no longer observed upon adjustment for the co-variate duration with a known thalassemia diagnosis (beta: 3.162; 95% CI: -2.949 to 9.274; p = 0.306). A considerable proportion of adult patients with TM and TI show evidence of depression and anxiety. Patients with TI are more liable to state anxiety than TM patients of a similar age, which is attributed to a shorter duration of living with a thalassemia diagnosis.