Depression, Anxiety, Fibromyalgia Common With Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, July 24, 2024 -- Approximately four in 10 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have anxiety, depression, or fibromyalgia, according to a study published online July 16 in ACR Open Rheumatology.
Juan Schmukler, M.D., from the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and colleagues analyzed the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and fibromyalgia in 361 patients with OA versus 488 patients with RA seen in routine care.
The researchers found that 40.4 percent of patients with OA and 36.3 percent of 488 patients with RA screened positive for anxiety, depression, or fibromyalgia. Eight and 7 percent of patients with OA and RA, respectively, screened positive for all three. Poorer patient status (as measured by the Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 [RAPID3]) overall, as well as each component, were significantly higher in patients with any positive screen result in both diagnoses (odds ratios of 2.6 to 35.8).
"Screening for anxiety, depression, and/or fibromyalgia can be incorporated feasibly into routine clinical care using a single MDHAQ [Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire] to better inform health professionals concerning patient status, prognosis, and response to treatments," the authors write.
One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry; one author holds a copyright and trademark on MDHAQ and RAPID3.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted July 2024
Read this next
Gabapentinoids Not Directly Associated With Risk of Self-Harm
THURSDAY, May 15, 2025 -- Gabapentinoids are not associated with risk of self-harm in adults; however, elevated risk is seen before initiation of treatment, during the initial...
More Research Needed to Prepare People With Mental Illness for Menopause
THURSDAY, May 15, 2025 -- Few studies examine how people living with a mental illness may be best prepared for the menopause transition, considering both menopause symptoms and...
Exercise May Provide Protection for Childhood Psychiatric Conditions
THURSDAY, May 15, 2025 -- Physical activity (PA) and participation in organized sports may offer protective effects against childhood psychiatric conditions, according to a study...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.