title: Investigation of depression, anxiety and quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a comparative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Osteoarthritis (OA) affects the articular cartilage and subchondral bone, compromising the joint as a whole. The knee joint is characterized as one of the main sites of involvement of OA and the most significant risk factors for developing the disease are aging, overweight and female gender. OA is considered one of the most frequent causes of disability, which may affect the quality of life of the patients, favoring the onset of mental disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether anxiety and depression symptoms are more significant in women with OA, when compared with women without this diagnosis, and to what extent this rheumatic disease affects the quality of life of these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 75 women, mean age 67 years; 40 were diagnosed with knee OA and 35 without this diagnosis. The following instruments were used: State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and SF-36, a quality of life questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women with knee OA have higher rates of depression and anxiety when compared to controls; in addition, they have a lower quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We believe that the treatment of patients with OA should consider the combination of pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, counseling and family support, in order to achieve a better quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Alyne Hevellen
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Priscilla Brandi Gomes
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Godoy
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências do Movimento Humano, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Nara Rejane Cruz de
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Universidade Metropolitana de Santos, Santos, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Roger Amorim Santos
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.affiliation: Universidade Metropolitana de Santos, Santos, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ricardo Edésio Amorim Santos
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Saúde, Educação e Sociedade, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ricardo da Costa
authors.initials: Rda C
authors.lastname: Padovani
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Santos, SP, Brasil. Electronic address: newstein@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Regina Cláudia Barbosa da
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life
keywords: Ansiedade; Anxiety; Depression; Depressão; Mulheres; Osteoarthritis; Osteoartrite; Qualidade de vida; Quality of life; Women