Comparison between Depression Levels of Women with Knee Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Fibromyalgia Syndrome: A Controlled Study

Objective: To determine the level of depression in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), and knee osteoarthritis (OA) and its related factors. Material and Methods: One hundred forty-two patients with RA, 136 with FMS, 139 with knee OA, and 152 healthy women were included in this study. The clinical findings of the women were analyzed via the visual analog scale (VAS), Beck Depression Inventory (BM Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), tender point counts (TPC), Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS-28), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC). Results: BDI scores in women with knee OA, RA and FMS were higher than controls (p<0.001). When a BD I score of >= 17 was evaluated in favor of depression, the rates of depression were 31.7%, 39.4%, 44.9%, and 9.2% in the knee OA, RA, FMS, and control groups, respectively. A positive correlation was determined between BDI, and VAS and WOMAC scores in knee OA group; BDI, and VAS, DAS-28 and HAQ scores in RA group; and, BDI, and TPC and FIQ scores in FMS group (p<0.001). Conclusion: Depression is commonly seen as a symptom in women with knee OA, FMS, and RA. Despite the association between the severity of disease and level of pain in women with knee OA and RA, the level of depression is only related to disease severity in women with FMS. Within the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up, the existence of depression should be suspected in knee OA, FMS and RA patients, and appropriate treatment regimens related to depression should be planned.