Prevalence and risk factors of depression in patients with chronic obstructive airway disease: a tertiary care hospital, outpatient setting.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive airway disease (COPD) has been found to be associated with depression. An overlap of COPD and depression may cause poor quality of life and an increase in mortality. A meta-analysis found that the prevalence and risk factors of depression in patients with COPD have high heterogeneity and are limited in tertiary care hospital outpatient settings. This study thus aimed to evaluate the prevalence and risk -factors of depression in patients with COPD using personal data in a tertiary care hospital outpatient setting.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study included adult patients who were diagnosed with COPD according to the GOLD guidelines, had stable functional status within the past 4 weeks with the same treatment regimen, and had no history of other serious medical or surgical illness. A diagnosis of depression was made according to a score of 11 or higher on the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). The prevalence and predictors of depression were then computed.

RESULTS: The study enrolled and evaluated 150 patients with COPD, out of which 6 (4%) had depression. While the predictive model for depression comprised two factors, only severity of COPD was independently associated with depression. The adjusted odds ratio of severity of COPD was 5.20 (95% confidence interval of 1.75, 15.42;  p = 0.003).

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of depression in patients with COPD in a tertiary care outpatient setting was low, at 4%. According to the study's comprehensive assessment, severity of COPD was the only factor associated with depression in patients with COPD.