Correlates of depression, including overall and gastrointestinal functional status, among patients with systemic sclerosis.
OBJECTIVE
Patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) may develop psychological problems in addition to physiologic symptoms. We investigated whether demographic and clinical factors are associated with comorbid depression.


METHODS
From a university hospital's rheumatology clinic, 72 SSc patients who completed 3 questionnaires [Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale, an abbreviated version of a functional status instrument, the Scleroderma Health Assessment Questionnaire (SHAQ), and the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI)] during an examination were recruited into the study. Correlations among scores on the 3 questionnaires [including upper and lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract subscales of the GIQLI] were calculated, and associations between CES-D scores and a variety of demographic and clinical characteristics were examined using stepwise linear regression.


RESULTS
Higher CES-D scores (i.e., more depression symptoms) were significantly correlated with upper (r = -0.48, p < 0.0001) and lower (r = -0.41, p < 0.001) GI tract dysfunction and worse overall functional status (r = 0.51, p < 0.0001). Stepwise regression indicated that higher levels of depression were independently associated with lower levels of education (p < 0.01), worse upper GI tract functioning (p = 0.019), worse functional status (p = 0.34), current corticosteroid use (p = 0.061), and cardiac involvement (p = 0.086).


CONCLUSIONS
Decreased functional status and abnormal GI functioning are significantly correlated with depression among patients with SSc. Other demographic and clinical indicators are also associated with depression.
Nietert
Paul J
PJ
Department of Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, and Epidemiology, Center for Health Care Research, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA. nieterpj@musc.edu
Mitchell
Holly C
HC
Bolster
Marcy B
MB
Curran
Margaret Y
MY
Tilley
Barbara C
BC
Silver
Richard M
RM
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006304:Health Status; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires