BACKGROUND: Depression is a frequent comorbidity in COPD patients and is associated with greater physical impairment, increased health-care utilization, and worse outcomes. The presence of depressive symptoms in the partners of COPD patients has not been evaluated. METHODS: We evaluated the partners of 230 consecutive COPD patients included in a prospective study. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) on the first day of admission for COPD exacerbation. Patients were followed-up for 1 year. RESULTS: Significant depressive symptoms were present in 39.6 % of the COPD patients and in 40.9 % of their partners. Beck scores were higher in the partners of patients with severe airflow obstruction and in those with ≥2 exacerbations and ≥1 hospitalizations for COPD exacerbation during the 1-year follow-up. The BDI score of the patients' partners was significantly correlated with the BDI score of the COPD patients (r s = 0.422). In multivariate analysis, depressive symptoms in the COPD patients were an independent predictor of depressive symptoms in their partners (OR 4.136, 95 % CI 1.991-8.594; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of the partners of COPD patients present significant depressive symptoms. The identification of those patients and their partners represents a possible target for intervention.
BACKGROUND:Depression is a frequent comorbidity in COPDpatients and is associated with greater physical impairment, increased health-care utilization, and worse outcomes. The presence of depressive symptoms in the partners of COPDpatients has not been evaluated. METHODS: We evaluated the partners of 230 consecutive COPDpatients included in a prospective study. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) on the first day of admission for COPD exacerbation. Patients were followed-up for 1 year. RESULTS: Significant depressive symptoms were present in 39.6 % of the COPDpatients and in 40.9 % of their partners. Beck scores were higher in the partners of patients with severe airflow obstruction and in those with ≥2 exacerbations and ≥1 hospitalizations for COPD exacerbation during the 1-year follow-up. The BDI score of the patients' partners was significantly correlated with the BDI score of the COPDpatients (r s = 0.422). In multivariate analysis, depressive symptoms in the COPDpatients were an independent predictor of depressive symptoms in their partners (OR 4.136, 95 % CI 1.991-8.594; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of the partners of COPDpatients present significant depressive symptoms. The identification of those patients and their partners represents a possible target for intervention.
Authors: J J Soler-Cataluña; M A Martínez-García; P Román Sánchez; E Salcedo; M Navarro; R Ochando Journal: Thorax Date: 2005-07-29 Impact factor: 9.139
Authors: Janet Maurer; Venkata Rebbapragada; Soo Borson; Roger Goldstein; Mark E Kunik; Abebaw M Yohannes; Nicola A Hanania Journal: Chest Date: 2008-10 Impact factor: 9.410