title: [Assessment of depression in rheumatoid arthritis: a cross sectional study on 60 patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of depression in a series of Tunisian patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to identify factors associated with its occurrence.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross sectional study on 60 patients with RA. The evaluation of depression was performed using the Montgomery and Asberg depression rating scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study revealed a high prevalence of depression in RA patients (45%). The main predictor factors of its occurrence were female gender, absence of professional activity, absence of social support, high activity of RA, impaired quality of life and existence of structural damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results highlight the importance of a good management of RA in order to prevent the occurrence of depression. They also underline the interest of screening for depression in RA patients to avoid its adverse effects on the course of RA.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Charles-Nicolle, service de rhumatologie, Tunis, Tunisie. tekaya.rawdha@hotmail.fr
authors.forename: Rawdha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tekaya
authors.forename: Faten
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saadi
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
authors.forename: Olfa
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Saidane
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abdelmoula
authors.forename: Lilia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chaabouni
authors.forename: Rafik
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zouari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult