Prevalence of clinical manifestations suggestive of depression in patients with sickle cell disease: a review

Abstract

Objective: To assess the prevalence of clinical manifestations suggestive of depression in patients with sickle cell disease. Methods: A systematic search was performed in the electronic databases PubMed®, LILACS and SciELO, with the following inclusion criteria: cross-sectional studies that assessed the prevalence of depression in patients with sickle cell disease, published in English or Portuguese in the last 10 years. The selection of the articles was performed in two stages by two independent researchers following the PRISMA (Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) recommendations. The first stage consisted on screening the titles and abstracts, and in the second stage the full text was appraised, both following the pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: From the 42 articles available, nine were included in this review. Seven instruments were used to screen for depression with different cutoff points, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was the most used instrument. The worldwide prevalence of clinical manifestations suggestive of depression ranged from 11 to 40%, according to several variables. Conclusion: The prevalence of clinical manifestations suggestive of depression in patients with sickle cell disease is higher compared to the prevalence of depression in the general population. Thus, the multidisciplinary follow-up for these people, with a focus on mental health, is of great importance.