Kaitlyn D’Onofrio

DocwireNews

Previous research found that <a href="https://proddocwire.wpengine.com/rheumatology/men-with-rheumatoid-arthritis-struggle-to-cope/">arthritis</a> patients are more likely to experience anxiety and/or <a href="https://proddocwire.wpengine.com/videos/chronic-pain-and-depression/">depression</a> than the general population. And a recent study has found that anti-inflammatory medication&mdash;which is used to treat arthritis&mdash;could be beneficial for patients with depression.&ldquo;Our study shows that a combination of anti-inflammatory medicine, which is what arthritis medicine is, and antidepressants can have an additional beneficial effect on patients with a depression,&rdquo; said study author Ole K&ouml;hler-Forsberg, a PhD student and medical doctor from Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Psychiatry, in a <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-04/au-amc040819.php">press release</a>. &ldquo;The effect was also present when anti-inflammatory medicine was compared with a placebo in patients with a physical disease and depressive symptoms.&rdquo;<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
There&rsquo;s a Link Between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Depression &mdash; and Lowering Inflammation May Help Both <a href="https://t.co/dElEda5QbX">https://t.co/dElEda5QbX</a>
&mdash; Rheumatoid Arthritis (@RheumatoidSupp) <a href="https://twitter.com/RheumatoidSupp/status/1113530041936355329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2019</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>For the review, the team identified 36 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published up until Jan. 1, 2018, that discussed antidepressant treatment effects and side effects of pharmacological anti-inflammatory intervention among patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) or depressive symptoms. The following outcomes were considered: depression scores after treatment, remission, response, and side effects.Of the 36 RCTs, 13 analyzed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), totaling 4,242 patients: nine cytokine inhibitors (n = 3,345), seven statins (n = 1,576), three minocycline (n = 151), two pioglitazone (n = 77), and two glucocorticoids (n = 59). MDD patients experienced improvement in their symptoms when taking anti-inflammatory agents as an add-on (standardized mean difference [SMD] = &minus;0.64; 95%&#8208;CI = &minus;0.88, &minus;0.40; I2 = 51%; n = 597) or monotherapy (SMD = &minus;0.41; 95%&#8208;CI = &minus;0.60, &minus;0.22; I2 = 93%, n = 8825); anti-inflammatory as an add-on treatment also resulted in improved response (risk ratio [RR] = 1.76; 95%&#8208;CI = 1.44&ndash;2.16; I2 = 16%; n = 341) and remission (RR = 2.14; 95%&#8208;CI = 1.03&ndash;4.48; I2 = 57%; n = 270). The researchers also acknowledged a trend toward greater infection risk and noted that all studies had a high bias risk.&ldquo;We found a trend toward an increased risk for infections, and all studies showed high risk of bias,&rdquo; the study authors noted.The results also call for further research.&ldquo;We still need to clarify which patients will benefit from the medicine and the size of the doses they will require,&rdquo; said Ole K&ouml;hler-Forsberg. &ldquo;The findings are interesting, but patients should consult their doctor before initiating additional treatment.&rdquo;<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Anti-inflammatory medicine can have a beneficial effect on depression <a href="https://t.co/7vnNTl6XZo">https://t.co/7vnNTl6XZo</a> <a href="https://t.co/Uv78Us2q1r">pic.twitter.com/Uv78Us2q1r</a>
&mdash; John S. James (@HealthspanNow) <a href="https://twitter.com/HealthspanNow/status/1115690952415416321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2019</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><h2>The Link Between Arthritis and Mental Health</h2>An October 2018 <a href="https://www.docwirenews.com/docwire-pick/report-anxiety-arthritis-patients/">report</a> from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that arthritis patients were more likely than the general population to suffer from symptoms of anxiety (22.5% versus 10.7%) or depression (12.1% versus 4.7%).More adults with arthritis take medications to treat symptoms of depression than anxiety (57.7% [CI = 52.4&ndash;62.9] vs 44.3% [CI = 40.4&ndash;48.3], respectively). Patients with depressive symptoms were also more likely to report having spoken with a mental health professional in the past year than those with anxiety (42.8% [CI = 37.7&ndash;48.1] vs 34.3% [CI = 30.3&ndash;38.1], respectively).<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Anti-Inflammatory Drug Found Effective in Treating Depression &ndash; <a href="https://t.co/wTClrPHu8y">https://t.co/wTClrPHu8y</a>
&mdash; Drugnews.in (@drugnewsin) <a href="https://twitter.com/drugnewsin/status/1115603055796293635?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2019</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>Of patients with arthritis and chronic pain, 31.2% reported symptoms of anxiety, and 18.7% said they had depressive symptoms. Symptom prevalence was higher among those with co-occurring chronic conditions, psychological distress, and poor self-rated health.

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Arthritis Medication May Help Treat Depressive Symptoms

Depression

Previous research found that arthritis patients are more likely to experience anxiety and/or depression than the general population. And a recent study has found that ...

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