Risk of depression in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and its determinants

TLDR: The prevalence of depression in COPD patients attending tertiary care hospital is very high and duration of the disease, body mass index, GOLD stage, and smoking was the most significant factors associated with depression.

Abstract: Background and Objectives: Depression is an important comorbid condition of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There is a risk of undertreatment for depression in patients with COPD as depressive symptoms, including suicidal tendencies, can erroneously be conceptualized as an understandable reaction to COPD and not as signs of an independent depressive disorder. The exact prevalence of depression in COPD patients among the Indian population is unknown. Aim: This study aims to know the prevalence of depression in COPD patients attending tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: A total of 120 COPD patients were enrolled in the study according to Global initiative for COPD (GOLD) criteria 2015. They were screened for depression as per Beck's depression score. Results: Eighteen patients in stage 1, 66 patients in stage 2, 29 patients in stage 3, and 7 patients in stage 4 of the COPD were enrolled. The prevalence of depression in the study population was 55%. Conclusion: The prevalence of depression in COPD is very high. The factors associated with depression in COPD patients were the duration of the disease, body mass index, GOLD stage, and smoking. Duration of the disease and smoking was the most significant factors associated with depression in COPD. Patients with COPD should be screened for depression and those with higher depression score should undergo further evaluation. Further studies involving larger number of subjects from several centers are required to study the prevalence of depression in Indian patients with COPD.