title: Depression and anxiety in patients with AL amyloidosis as assessed by the SF-36 questionnaire: experience in 1226 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our study examines depression and anxiety in patients with immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis, and determines the associations between the mental health problems and patient characteristics (age, gender, race, marital status, alcohol consumption, smoking status and cardiac involvement).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with AL amyloidosis who completed the 36-item Short Form General Health Survey (SF-36) during initial evaluation at a single center were studied. The SF-36 included assessments of depression, anxiety, role limitation due to emotional problems and the mental health subscale score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 1226 patients with AL amyloidosis, 37.0% reported depression and 46.7% reported anxiety. Patients with cardiac amyloidosis reported more anxiety (odds ratio (OR) = 1.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-1.61) and role limitation due to emotional problems (OR = 1.32, 95%CI 1.05-1.65). No significant association between cardiac involvement and depression was found (OR = 1.22, 95%CI 0.97-1.54). Men reported less anxiety (OR = 0.72, 95%CI 0.57-0.91). Patients  ≥65 years experienced greater role limitation (OR = 1.36, 95%CI 1.08-1.71). Smokers (p = 0.019) and women (p = 0.006) scored lower on mental health subscales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many patients with AL amyloidosis suffer from depression, anxiety and functional limitations. Psychiatric assessment and treatment is important, and further research is needed to clarify the long-term effects of depression and anxiety in AL amyloidosis. This current study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT00898235.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , Boston Medical Center , Boston , MA , USA.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.affiliation: b Amyloidosis Center, Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , MA , USA , and.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , Boston Medical Center , Boston , MA , USA.
authors.forename: Margot
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.affiliation: c Boston University School of Public Health , Boston , MA , USA.
authors.forename: Fangui
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: b Amyloidosis Center, Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , MA , USA , and.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Seldin
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , Boston Medical Center , Boston , MA , USA.
authors.forename: Isidore
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Berenbaum
authors.affiliation: b Amyloidosis Center, Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , MA , USA , and.
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Berk
authors.affiliation: b Amyloidosis Center, Boston University School of Medicine , Boston , MA , USA , and.
authors.forename: Vaishali
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sanchorawala
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: AL amyloidosis; SF-36; anxiety; depression; mental health