Depression in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Abstract

Depression carries enormous global morbidity and is 1.5-7 times likelier to occur in individuals with chronic illness than in the general population. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) has a rising incidence with a severe impact on quality of life. An indication of the prevalence of depression in this group is therefore of paramount interest. A prospective study was performed. A total of 118 participants with IPF who attended the interstitial lung disease clinic in Ninewells Hospitals, Dundee, Scotland, from May 2010 to September 2011 were recruited. Informed consent was obtained. The male to female ratio was 60:58. The Wakefield Self-assessment of Depression Inventory was used (scores !15 denote a depressed state). Pulmonary function tests were measured to correlate disease severity with depression scores. Of them, 58 patients had significant depressive symptoms scoring !15; only nine were taking antidepressant medication. The mean depression score of female participants was 15.0 + 0.77 (SD 5.9), compared with a mean male score of 13.1 + 0.99 (SD 7.5). Disease severity, age, duration since diagnosis and number of co-morbidities were not significantly correlated with depression. The study population had a high prevalence of depressive symptoms. Medical therapy for pulmonary fibrosis is limited and therefore palliation of symptoms and pulmonary rehabilitation form the main strategy for management. Depression should be actively screened in patients with IPF.

Interstitial lung disease

“…Many recent studies are focusing on the quality of life issues of IPF patients, and depression is increasingly being recognised as an important comorbidity in IPF [92]. BAJWAH et al [93] conducted the first study to examine in depth the impact of symptoms and psychosocial needs of IPF patients' and of their informal caregivers'.…”

Comorbidities in interstitial lung diseases

“…Corticosteroids may also play a role in precipitating depression. In IPF, the prevalence of depression varies from 11% to 50% according to the tools used for the assessment of depression [149,151,152]. In ILD patients, depression has a definite impact on quality of life and on adherence to treatments [153][154][155].…”

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: Early detection and referral

“…Patients with IPF are at increased risk for a host of comorbidities, including pulmonary malignancy [73], coronary artery disease [74], obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) [75], emphysema [76], pulmonary hypertension [77], diabetes mellitus [22], depression [78], hiatal hernia [26], and GERD [24]. These conditions have the potential to impact survival and quality of life, and it has therefore become common practice to manage comorbidities aggressively at many ILD centers.…”