The association between anxiety and depression symptoms and clinical and pain characteristics in patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis
Authors:   Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Department of Medicine,  Porto, Portugal, Silveira J , Oliveira D ,   Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Department of Medicine,  Porto, Portugal; Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João,  Rheumatology Department, Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine,  University of Porto, Center for Health Technology and Services  Research (CINTESIS), Porto, Portugal, Martins A ,   Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Department of Medicine,  Porto, Portugal; Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João,  Rheumatology Department, Porto, Portugal, Costa L ,   Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João,  Rheumatology Department, Porto, Portugal, Neto F ,   Faculty of Medicine,  University of Porto, Department of Biomedicine, Porto, Portugal; University of Porto, i3S - Institute for Research & Innovation in  Health, Porto, Portugal; University of Porto, IBMC - Institute of  Molecular and Cell Biology, Porto, Portugal, Ferreira-Gomes J ,   Faculty of Medicine,  University of Porto, Department of Biomedicine, Porto, Portugal; University of Porto, i3S - Institute for Research & Innovation in  Health, Porto, Portugal; University of Porto, IBMC - Institute of  Molecular and Cell Biology, Porto, Portugal, Vaz C ,   Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Department of Medicine,  Porto, Portugal; Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São João,  Rheumatology Department, Porto, Portugal; Faculty of Medicine,  University of Porto, Center for Health Technology and Services  Research (CINTESIS), Porto, Portugal
Published: October 2024

Objectives. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms and explore the association between these symptoms and clinical and pain characteristics in patients with chronic pain (CP) due to hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods. In this cross-sectional study, adult patients with CP and knee and/or hip OA were included. Anxiety and depression symptoms were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Visual analogue scale, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) and PainDetect Questionnaire assessed pain characteristics and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) evaluated functional disability. Correlation coefficients were used to explore the associations between anxiety and depression symptoms and clinical and pain characteristics. Results. A total of 61 patients (age 66.2±9.4 years, 67.2% female) were included. Most patients (70.5%) had clinically significant anxiety and/or depression symptoms. Patients with anxiety and/or depression symptoms had higher pain severity (p=0.032) and disability (p=0.014). Depression symptoms had a moderate positive correlation with WOMAC physical function subscale (r=0.520), WOMAC total (r=0.511) and HAQ (r=0.405). Conclusions. Anxiety and depression symptoms are prevalent in knee or hip OA patients with CP and were associated with higher pain severity and functional disability. These findings support the screening of anxiety and depression symptoms in OA patients, in order to develop more effective multidisciplinary treatments.