Depression and sickle cell disease.

Depressive symptoms are very common in patients with a chronic medical illness such as sickle cell disease (SCD). Clinicians may fail to recognize depression in such patients when, as in SCD, the two conditions have many overlapping symptoms. Based on a Medline database search, we review papers addressing the relationship between depression and SCD. Data regarding this relationship are conflicting. We provide recommendations for improving the treatment of patients with SCD and depression.