Investigation of depression, anxiety and quality of life in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a comparative study.

Introduction: 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.

Conclusion: 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.