ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Meetings
    • ACR Convergence 2024
    • ACR Convergence 2023
    • 2023 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • ACR Convergence 2022
    • ACR Convergence 2021
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • ACR Meetings

Abstract Number: 1002

Depression Screening in Patients with Rheumatologic Diseases in a Large Tertiary Care Center

Sama Hajizadeh1, Yue Yin2 and Adam Dore1, 1Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA, 2Allegheny-Singer Research Institute, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh

Meeting: ACR Convergence 2024

Keywords: Anxiety, autoimmune diseases, depression, mental health, psychological status

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
Session Information

Date: Sunday, November 17, 2024

Title: Epidemiology & Public Health Poster II

Session Type: Poster Session B

Session Time: 10:30AM-12:30PM

Background/Purpose: Depression is common and known to be associated with poorer outcomes among patients with rheumatologic diseases, likely stemming from the chronic and sometimes debilitating nature of these conditions (1). Hence, awareness and screening for depression in this population is critical. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) is a well validated screening tool for depression (2). In this study, we analyzed the rates of positive PHQ-9 screening and associated demographics and comorbidities in patients with certain rheumatic diseases seen in Allegheny Health Network (AHN) rheumatology clinics.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted in patients with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and inflammatory arthritis. PHQ-9 assessment was utilized to screen for depression in these patients during a rheumatology clinic visit. PHQ scores ≤9 were considered “mild” depression, and scores ≥10 were considered “moderate-severe”. Demographic data, use of antidepressants, and certain comorbidities were also assessed in this patient population and compared with PHQ-9 using ANOVA, chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test, as appropriate. Alpha level 0.05 and SAS 9.4 were used for all statistical analysis.

Results: From the 5,416 patients included in this study, 3,555 (65.6%) had a PHQ-9 available. Table 1 represents the patient demographics. As demonstrated in Table 2, positive moderate-severe depression screening rates were as follows: SLE 8.05%, inflammatory arthritis 7.53%, RA 6.33%, psoriatic arthritis 4.82%, and psoriasis 3.60%. Patients with positive depression screening were more commonly female (6.91% vs 4.34% male, p-value 0.004) and relatively younger (54.8 years old vs 58.1 with negative PHQ-9 screening, p-value 0.001). Patients with anxiety, adjustment disorder, dysthymia as well as congestive heart failure (CHF), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), fatigue, and fibromyalgia (p-values < 0.05) were more likely to screen positive for depression.

Conclusion: Within our AHN rheumatology clinics, positive moderate-severe depression screening was more common in SLE, followed by inflammatory arthritis, RA, psoriatic arthritis, and psoriasis. Female and younger patients, and those with fibromyalgia, OSA, and CHF were more likely to screen positive for depression. Overall, the positive depression screening rate was relatively low. These findings highlight potential risk factors associated with positive depression screening which may lead to increased awareness and ideally support for those at highest risk for depression.

1- Pryce, C. et al. Depression in Autoimmune Diseases (pp. 139–154). Springer International Publishing (2016). 
2- Hitchon, C A, et al. Validity and reliability of screening measures for depression and anxiety disorders in rheumatoid arthritis (pp 1130–1139). Arthritis Care & Research (2020) 

Supporting image 1

Table 1. Descriptive statistics of demographics

Supporting image 2

Table 2. Group comparison results between variables and PHQ


Disclosures: S. Hajizadeh: None; Y. Yin: None; A. Dore: AbbVie/Abbott, 2, 6.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Hajizadeh S, Yin Y, Dore A. Depression Screening in Patients with Rheumatologic Diseases in a Large Tertiary Care Center [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2024; 76 (suppl 9). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/depression-screening-in-patients-with-rheumatologic-diseases-in-a-large-tertiary-care-center/. Accessed .
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

« Back to ACR Convergence 2024

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/depression-screening-in-patients-with-rheumatologic-diseases-in-a-large-tertiary-care-center/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts during your browser session by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

All abstracts accepted to ACR Convergence are under media embargo once the ACR has notified presenters of their abstract’s acceptance. They may be presented at other meetings or published as manuscripts after this time but should not be discussed in non-scholarly venues or outlets. The following embargo policies are strictly enforced by the ACR.

Accepted abstracts are made available to the public online in advance of the meeting and are published in a special online supplement of our scientific journal, Arthritis & Rheumatology. Information contained in those abstracts may not be released until the abstracts appear online. In an exception to the media embargo, academic institutions, private organizations, and companies with products whose value may be influenced by information contained in an abstract may issue a press release to coincide with the availability of an ACR abstract on the ACR website. However, the ACR continues to require that information that goes beyond that contained in the abstract (e.g., discussion of the abstract done as part of editorial news coverage) is under media embargo until 10:00 AM ET on November 14, 2024. Journalists with access to embargoed information cannot release articles or editorial news coverage before this time. Editorial news coverage is considered original articles/videos developed by employed journalists to report facts, commentary, and subject matter expert quotes in a narrative form using a variety of sources (e.g., research, announcements, press releases, events, etc.).

Violation of this policy may result in the abstract being withdrawn from the meeting and other measures deemed appropriate. Authors are responsible for notifying colleagues, institutions, communications firms, and all other stakeholders related to the development or promotion of the abstract about this policy. If you have questions about the ACR abstract embargo policy, please contact ACR abstracts staff at [email protected].

Wiley

  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
  • Cookie Preferences

© Copyright 2025 American College of Rheumatology