Symptoms of depression and anxiety in functionally disabled rheumatic pain patients

The aim of the present work was to study correlations between self-assessment of symptoms of depression, anxiety, rheumatic pain and functional disability. One hundred patients admitted to a university rheumatology clinic were tested in a consecutive manner, applying the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). In addition, the patients were asked to express a quantitative measure of their subjective pain and functional disability on visual analogue scales (VAS). Regression analysis (analysis of variance) showed significant correlation between rheumatic pain and depression (P=0.04), between rheumatic pain and anxiety (P=0.03) and between rheumatic pain and functional disability (P<0.000). Significant correlations were also seen between depressive symptoms and functional disability (P=0.01) and between anxiety and functional disability (P=0.002). The correlation between symptoms of anxiety and depression was at a P=0.000 level. Applying the experience from this study and introducing, as part of a clin...