Depression and reactivity to stress in older women with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine the role of depressive symptoms in reactivity to stress and pain in older women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA).


METHODS
Participants were 188 older women with RA (N = 87) and OA (N = 101). They were initially assessed for depressive symptoms and interviewed weekly for 12 to 20 weeks regarding interpersonal stress, arthritis pain, and negative affect.


RESULTS
Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) revealed that depressive symptoms were related to weekly elevations in arthritis pain, negative events, perceived stress, and negative affect for RA respondents and elevations in arthritis pain and negative affect for OA respondents. HLM analyses also indicated that depressive symptoms were related to increased reactivity to perceived stress and arthritis pain in people with RA, but not those with OA.


CONCLUSIONS
Depression may be related to elevations in pain for people with RA and OA and to elevations in stress and increased reactivity to stress and pain for those with RA.
Zautra
A J
AJ
Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe 85287-1104, USA. alex.zautra@asu.edu
Smith
B W
BW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001143:Arousal; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012803:Sick Role; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*