AGE, DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, AND RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

Objective. To examine the relationship between age and depression in p ersons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. Two separate outpatien t cohorts of persons with RA were studied. In both studies, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale was administered to all subjects, and the prevalence of depressive symptoms was determined by age group. In the second study, data on additional measures of disease activity, pain, life stress, and coping were collected for use in mul tiple linear regression analyses. Results. In both samples, a signific ant correlation between age and depression was found; younger persons (age less than or equal to 45 years) with RA were significantly more d epressed, even after controlling for potentially confounding variables such as sea, marital status, antidepressant medication, arthritis med ication, functional class, and disease duration. Conclusion. The findi ngs show that younger persons with RA are at higher risk for depressiv e symptoms than their older counterparts.