Alan M Rathbun1, Bryant R England2, Ted R Mikuls2, Alice S Ryan3, Jennifer L Barton4, Michelle D Shardell5, Marc C Hochberg6. 1. A.M. Rathbun, PhD, MPH, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Baltimore, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; arathbun@som.umaryland.edu. 2. B.R. England, MD, PhD, T.R. Mikuls, MD, MSPH, VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System, and Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska. 3. A.S. Ryan, PhD, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Baltimore, School of Medicine, and VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, Maryland. 4. J.L. Barton, MD, MCR, VA Portland Health Care System, and Department of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, School of Medicine, Portland, Oregon. 5. M.D. Shardell, PhD, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland Baltimore, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland. 6. M.C.Hochberg, MD, MPH, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Baltimore, School of Medicine, and VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Depression is common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), exacerbates disease activity, and may decrease response to first-line disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. This study aimed to determine if depression affects disease activity among veterans with early RA prescribed methotrexate (MTX). METHODS: Participants included veterans enrolled in the Veterans Affairs Rheumatoid Arthritis (VARA) registry with early RA (onset < 2 yrs) prescribed MTX. Depression was assessed at enrollment using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision codes (296.2-296.39, 300.4, 311). Disease activity was measured using the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28) and other core measures of RA disease activity. Propensity score weights were used to adjust depressed (n = 48) and nondepressed (n = 220) patients on baseline confounders within imputed datasets. Weighted estimating equations were used to assess standardized mean differences in disease activity between depressed and nondepressed patients at 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year follow-ups. RESULTS: The analytic sample was composed of 268 veterans with early RA prescribed MTX who were predominantly male (n = 239, 89.2%) and older (62.7 yrs, SD 10.6) than patients with RA in the general population. Adjusted estimates indicated that depression was associated with significantly higher DAS28 at 6 months (β 0.35, 95% CI 0.01-0.68) but not at the 1- or 2-year follow-up. Also, depression was associated with significantly worse pain at 6 months (β 0.39, 95% CI 0.04-0.73) and 1 year (β 0.40, 95% CI 0.04-0.75). CONCLUSION: In early RA, depression is associated with greater short-term disease activity during MTX treatment, as well as more persistent and severe pain.
OBJECTIVE: Depression is common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), exacerbates disease activity, and may decrease response to first-line disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. This study aimed to determine if depression affects disease activity among veterans with early RA prescribed methotrexate (MTX). METHODS: Participants included veterans enrolled in the Veterans Affairs Rheumatoid Arthritis (VARA) registry with early RA (onset < 2 yrs) prescribed MTX. Depression was assessed at enrollment using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision codes (296.2-296.39, 300.4, 311). Disease activity was measured using the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28) and other core measures of RA disease activity. Propensity score weights were used to adjust depressed (n = 48) and nondepressed (n = 220) patients on baseline confounders within imputed datasets. Weighted estimating equations were used to assess standardized mean differences in disease activity between depressed and nondepressed patients at 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year follow-ups. RESULTS: The analytic sample was composed of 268 veterans with early RA prescribed MTX who were predominantly male (n = 239, 89.2%) and older (62.7 yrs, SD 10.6) than patients with RA in the general population. Adjusted estimates indicated that depression was associated with significantly higher DAS28 at 6 months (β 0.35, 95% CI 0.01-0.68) but not at the 1- or 2-year follow-up. Also, depression was associated with significantly worse pain at 6 months (β 0.39, 95% CI 0.04-0.73) and 1 year (β 0.40, 95% CI 0.04-0.75). CONCLUSION: In early RA, depression is associated with greater short-term disease activity during MTX treatment, as well as more persistent and severe pain.
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