Faith Matcham

The prevalence of depression in rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective. There is substantial uncertainty regarding the prevalence of depression in RA. We conducted a systematic review aiming to describe the prevalence of depression in RA. Methods. Web of Science, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Embase, Medline and PubMed were searched for cross-sectional studies reporting a prevalence estimate for depression in adult RA patients. Studies were reviewed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and a meta-analysis was performed. Results. A total of 72 studies, including 13 189 patients, were eligible for inclusion in the review. Forty-three methods of defining depression were reported. Meta-analyses revealed the prevalence of major depressive disorder to be 16.8% (95% CI 10%, 24%). According to the PHQ-9, the prevalence of depression was 38.8% (95% CI 34%, 43%), and prevalence levels according to the HADS with thresholds of 8 and 11 were 34.2% (95% CI 25%, 44%) and 14.8% (95% CI 12%, 18%), respectively. The main influence on depression prevalence was the mean age of the sample. Conclusion. Depression is highly prevalent in RA and associated with poorer RA outcomes. This suggests that optimal care of RA patients may include the detection and management of depression.

The impact of rheumatoid arthritis on quality-of-life assessed using the SF-36: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE The assessment of health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is becoming increasingly common in both research and clinical practice. One of the most widely used tools for measuring HRQoL is the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). We conducted a systematic review examining the impact of RA on HRQoL, measured through the SF-36. METHODS MEDLINE and Embase were searched for observational studies reporting mean and standard deviation scores for each domain of the SF-36 in adult RA patients. Studies were reviewed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, and a random-effects meta-analysis was performed. RESULTS In total, 31 studies were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis, including 22,335 patients. Meta-analyses found that pooled mean HRQoL score for the SF-36 physical component summary was 34.1 (95% CI: 22.0-46.1) and mental component summary was 45.6 (95% CI: 30.3-60.8). Increased age was associated with reduced physical function and physical component summary (PCS) scores but improved mental health and mental component summary (MCS) scores. Female gender was associated with improved scores on role physical, bodily pain and PCS but reduced mental health and MCS scores. Longer disease duration was associated with improved MCS. Patients with RA have a substantially reduced HRQoL in comparison to both other physical illnesses and in comparison to normative datasets from UK and USA populations. CONCLUSIONS RA has a substantial impact on HRQoL. This supports recent NICE guidelines stipulating that RA patients should be regularly assessed for the impact their disease has on HRQoL and appropriate management provided.

Symptoms of depression and anxiety predict treatment response and long-term physical health outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial

Objective. The aim of this analysis is to examine the longitudinal impact of symptoms of depression/anxiety on treatment response, long-term disease activity and physical disability in RA. Methods. Secondary analysis of clinical trial data was performed. Data were collected at baseline and at 6-monthly intervals for 2 years. The EuroQoL (EQ-5DTM) indicated depression/anxiety symptom severity. Our primary outcomes of interest were (i) DAS-28 and (ii) physical disability measured via the HAQ. Secondary outcomes were: tender and swollen joint counts, patient global assessment, ESR and odds of reaching clinical remission. Multilevel models were used to assess the impact of baseline and persistent depression/anxiety on outcomes over 2 years. Results. Data from 379 patients were included. After adjusting for covariates, baseline depression/anxiety symptoms were associated with increased DAS-28 outcomes and increased tender joint counts. Persistent depression/anxiety symptoms were associated with increased DAS-28 scores, HAQ scores, tender joint counts and patient global assessment of disease activity, and reduced odds of reaching clinical remission. Patients with symptoms of depression/anxiety at baseline also showed a 50% reduction in prednisolone treatment effect, in comparison with patients with no symptoms of depression/anxiety at baseline. Conclusion. Baseline and persistent symptoms of depression/anxiety are associated with poorer health outcomes over time, as well as reduced treatment response. Mental health should be routinely measured both in clinical practice and in research, and managed alongside rheumatological disease to optimize health outcomes. Further research is required to examine whether treatment of mental disorders can improve rheumatological outcomes.

Psychological correlates of fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review.

Fatigue is common and debilitating in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). A focus on the psychological variables associated with fatigue may help to identify targets for intervention which could enhance the treatment of fatigue in RA. The purpose of this review was to systematically identify psychological variables related to fatigue in RA, with the overall aim of suggesting evidence-based targets for fatigue intervention in RA. Twenty-nine studies met inclusion criteria and were included in the narrative synthesis. A wide range of psychological variables were addressed, spanning 6 categories: affect and common mental disorders; RA-related cognitions; non-RA-related cognitions; personality traits; stress and coping; and social support/interpersonal relationships. The most consistent relationship was found between mood and fatigue, with low mood frequently associated with increased fatigue. Some evidence also highlighted the relationship between RA-related cognitions (such as RA self-efficacy) and fatigue, and non-RA-cognitions (such as goal ownership) and fatigue. Limited evidence was found to support the relationship between stress and coping or personality traits and fatigue, although mixed evidence was found for the relationship between social support and fatigue. The results of this review suggest the interventions for fatigue in RA may benefit from a focus on mental health, and disease-related cognitions.

Self-help interventions for symptoms of depression, anxiety and psychological distress in patients with physical illnesses: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Psychological distress, depression and anxiety are common in most physical diseases, and self-help interventions, if effective, might be an important approach to improve outcomes as they are inexpensive to provide to large numbers of patients. The primary aim of this review was to assess randomised controlled trials examining the impact of self-help interventions on symptoms of depression, anxiety and psychological distress in patients with physical illness. Systematic searches of electronic databases resulted in twenty-five eligible studies for meta-analysis (n=4211). The results of the primary meta-analyses revealed a significant improvement in depression symptoms, in favour of the intervention group (SMD=-0.13, 95% CI: -0.25, -0.02, p=0.02, I(2)=50%). There were no significant differences in symptoms of anxiety (SMD=-0.10, 95% CI: -0.24, 0.05, p=0.20, I(2)=63%) or psychological distress (SMD=-0.14, 95% CI: -0.40, 0.12, p=0.30, I(2)=72%) between intervention and control conditions. Several subgroup and sensitivity analyses improved effect sizes, suggesting that optimal mental health outcomes may be obtained in patients without neurological conditions, and with interventions based on a therapeutic model (such as cognitive behavioural therapy), and with stress management components. This review demonstrates that with appropriate design and implementation, self-help interventions may potentially improve symptoms of depression in patients with physical conditions.

Embedding integrated mental health assessment and management in general hospital settings: feasibility, acceptability and the prevalence of common mental disorder

OBJECTIVE To assess the feasibility and acceptability of routine web-based screening in general hospital settings, and describe the level of common mental disorder. METHOD A service development platform to integrate mental and physical healthcare was implemented in six specialties (rheumatology, limb reconstruction, hepatitis C, psoriasis, adult congenital heart disease (ACHD), chronic pain) across three general hospitals in London, UK. Under service conditions, patients completed a web-based questionnaire comprising mental and physical patient-reported outcome measures, whilst waiting for their appointment. Feasibility was quantified as the proportion of patients who completed the questionnaire. Acceptability was quantified as the proportion of patients declining screening, and the proportion requiring assistance completing the questionnaire. The prevalence of probable depression and anxiety was expressed as the percentage of cases determined by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalised Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-7. RESULTS The proportion of patients screened varied widely across specialties (40.1-98.2%). The decline rate was low (0.6-9.7%) and the minority required assistance (11.7-40.4%). The prevalence of probable depression ranged from 60.9% in chronic pain to 6.6% in ACHD. The prevalence of probable anxiety ranged from 25.1% in rheumatology to 11.4% in ACHD. CONCLUSION Web-based screening is acceptable to patients and can be effectively embedded in routine practice. General hospital patients are at increased risk of common mental disorder, and routine screening may help identify need, inform care and monitor outcomes.

Depression in patients with chronic pain attending a specialised pain treatment centre: prevalence and impact on health care costs.

Abstract This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence and impact of depression on health care costs in patients with complex chronic pain. The sample included 1204 patients attending a tertiary pain management service for people with chronic disabling pain, unresponsive to medical treatment. As part of routine care, patients completed a web-based questionnaire assessing mental and physical health, functioning, and service use in the preceding 3 months. Depression was assessed using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire. Self-report health care utilisation was measured across 4 domains: general practitioner contacts, contacts with secondary/tertiary care doctors, accident and emergency department visits, and days hospitalised. The participation rate was 89%. Seven hundred and thirty-two patients (60.8%; 95% CI 58.0-63.6) met criteria for probable depression, and 407 (33.8%) met the threshold for severe depression. Patients with depression were more likely to be unable to work because of ill health and reported greater work absence, greater pain-related interference with functioning, lower pain acceptance, and more generalised pain. Mean total health care costs per 3-month period were £731 (95% CI £646-£817) for patients with depression, compared with £448 (95% CI £366-£530) for patients without depression. A positive association between severe depression and total health care costs persisted after controlling for key demographic, functional, and clinical covariates using multiple linear regression models. These findings reveal the extent, severity, and impact of depression in patients with chronic pain and make evident a need for action. Effective treatment of depression may improve patient health and functioning and reduce the burden of chronic pain on health care services.

Screening for anxiety and depression in people with psoriasis: a cross-sectional study in a tertiary referral setting

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance recommends assessment of psychological and social well‐being in people with psoriasis.

Are depression and anxiety associated with disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis? A prospective study

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the impact of depression and anxiety scores on disease activity at 1-year follow-up in people with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).MethodsThe Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) was used to measure depression and anxiety in a cross-section of RA patients. The primary outcome of interest was disease activity (DAS28), measured one-year after baseline assessment. Secondary outcomes were: tender joint count, swollen joint count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and patient global assessment, also measured one-year after baseline assessment. We also examined the impact of baseline depression and anxiety on odds of reaching clinical remission at 1-year follow-up.ResultsIn total, 56 RA patients were eligible for inclusion in this analysis. Before adjusting for key demographic and disease variables, increased baseline depression and anxiety were associated with increased disease activity at one-year follow-up, although this was not sustained after adjusting for baseline disease activity. There was a strong association between depression and anxiety and the subjective components of the DAS28 at 12-month follow-up: tender joint count and patient global assessment. After adjusting for age, gender, disease duration and baseline tender joint count and patient global assessment respectively, higher levels of depression and anxiety at baseline were associated with increased tender joint count and patient global assessment scores at 1-year follow-up.ConclusionsSymptoms of depression and anxiety have implications for disease activity, as measured via the DAS28, primarily due to their influence on tender joints and patient global assessment. These findings have implications for treatment decision-making as inflated DAS28 despite well controlled inflammatory disease markers may indicate significant psychological morbidity and related non-inflammatory pain, rather than true disease activity.

The relationship between depression and biologic treatment response in rheumatoid arthritis: An analysis of the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register.

Objective To investigate the relationship between depressive symptoms and treatment response and disease activity in RA over a 1-year follow-up. Methods Data from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register were used, representing 18 421 RA patients receiving biologic treatment. Depressive symptoms were identified through one of three assessments: reporting a history of depression, the Medical Outcomes Survey 36-item Short Form or the EuroQol five-dimension scale. Logistic regression analyses examined the relationship between baseline depressive symptoms and odds of good treatment response by 1 year. Multilevel models addressed the association between baseline depressive symptoms and disease activity outcomes over 1-year follow-up, adjusting for age, gender, disease duration, comorbidities and baseline disease activity and physical disability. Results Depression symptoms at biologic treatment initiation were associated with 20-40% reduced odds of achieving a good treatment response at 1 year. Depressive symptoms at baseline also associated with reduced improvement in disease activity over the course of follow-up. Patients with a history of depression or reporting symptoms of depression according to the EuroQol five-dimension scale showed reduced improvement in tender and swollen joints, patient global assessment and ESR over 1-year follow-up. Patients with depression symptoms according to the 36-item Short Form showed reduced improvement in tender and swollen joints, but not ESR or patient global assessment. Conclusion Experiencing symptoms of depression at the start of biologics treatment may reduce the odds of achieving a good treatment response, and reduce improvement in disease activity over time. Depression should be managed as part of routine clinical care to optimize treatment outcomes.