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Original ArticleOpen Access
Depression in Thai Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Khongsaengdao B 
,
Louthrenoo W ,
Srisurapanont M
,
Louthrenoo W ,
Srisurapanont M BENCHALAK KHONGSAENGDAO, M.D.*,
WORA WIT LOUTHRENOO, M.D.**,
MANIT SRISURAPANONT, M.D.*
A wide spectrum of behavioral and psychological disturbances, in particular depression.
has been described as a prevalent problem in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The inves-
tigators proposed to evaluate the correlations of depressive symptoms and the disease activity
of RA in Thai patients. A variety of aspects of disease activity included in the assessment were
the number of swollen joints, the number of tender joints, overall tenderness of the joints
(assessed by using the Ritchie Articular Index), overall pain (assessed by using the visual
analog scale for pain), joint functional class, and disease duration. The 24-item Hamilton Rating
Scale for Depression (HRSD) was the measure used to determine the severity of depressive symr-
toms. The correlations of HRSD scores and the data relevant to the disease activity were evaluated
by using Pearson correlation test. A total of 75 female and 4 male patients participated in this
study. Their mean age and mean duration of disease were 49.81 and 7.48 years, respectively.
The mean score of HRSD was significantly correlated with those of the number of swollen joints.
the number of tender joints, the Ritchie Articular Index, the visual analog scale for pain, and the
joint functional class. In conclusion, depression is highly correlated with some respects of the
disease activity of RA, especially the number of swollen joints and joint functional class. The
results of the present study are not much different from those of previous studies conducted in
western countries. Careful evaluation of the disease activity of RA will be helpful in detecting
the depression comorbidity in Thai patients suffering from this disease.
Key word : Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Depression, Disease Activity
WORA WIT LOUTHRENOO, M.D.**,
MANIT SRISURAPANONT, M.D.*
A wide spectrum of behavioral and psychological disturbances, in particular depression.
has been described as a prevalent problem in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The inves-
tigators proposed to evaluate the correlations of depressive symptoms and the disease activity
of RA in Thai patients. A variety of aspects of disease activity included in the assessment were
the number of swollen joints, the number of tender joints, overall tenderness of the joints
(assessed by using the Ritchie Articular Index), overall pain (assessed by using the visual
analog scale for pain), joint functional class, and disease duration. The 24-item Hamilton Rating
Scale for Depression (HRSD) was the measure used to determine the severity of depressive symr-
toms. The correlations of HRSD scores and the data relevant to the disease activity were evaluated
by using Pearson correlation test. A total of 75 female and 4 male patients participated in this
study. Their mean age and mean duration of disease were 49.81 and 7.48 years, respectively.
The mean score of HRSD was significantly correlated with those of the number of swollen joints.
the number of tender joints, the Ritchie Articular Index, the visual analog scale for pain, and the
joint functional class. In conclusion, depression is highly correlated with some respects of the
disease activity of RA, especially the number of swollen joints and joint functional class. The
results of the present study are not much different from those of previous studies conducted in
western countries. Careful evaluation of the disease activity of RA will be helpful in detecting
the depression comorbidity in Thai patients suffering from this disease.
Key word : Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Depression, Disease Activity
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