Mental Health Disorders in Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases

This research article investigates the prevalence of mental health disorders, specifically depression and anxiety, in individuals with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (iRMDs) such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and Sjögren’s disease (SjD). The study utilizes baseline data from 101,601 participants in the German National Cohort (NAKO) to analyze self-reported physician diagnoses and standardized assessment tools for depression and anxiety. The findings indicate that individuals with iRMDs exhibit higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to those with osteoarthritis (OA). Notably, 26% of iRMD participants had a physician's diagnosis of depression, while 15% reported anxiety. The study also examines cognitive function, revealing no significant differences between iRMD and OA participants. The results underscore the importance of recognizing and addressing mental health issues in the management of iRMDs, particularly among women and middle-aged individuals.