Anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in use of methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, leflunomide and biological drugs

Risk of Developing Depressive Disorders following Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

“…Previous study showed that disease-modifying drugs used for RA patients had been related to higher rates of depression, and suicidal ideation among RA patients, serving as an alert to the importance of considering also this factors in therapeutic decisions [46].…”

Health‐related quality of life and depression in a sample of Latin American adults with rheumatoid arthritis

“…Other factors associated with depression among individuals with RA include being unmarried, living in an urban setting, sleep problems and pain . Depression is also associated with a variety of negative health outcomes in individuals with RA, including more general pain, hardships, treatment denial, fatigue and prognosis, as well as decreased quality of life . A generally higher rate of depression in individuals with RA is problematic due to the increased burden that is related to depression, as well as the burden that is associated with the way patients perceive and manage their RA …”

The inflammatory perspective of depression in the context of chronic medical conditions

“…Contrary findings were published by Pinho de Oliveira Ribeiro et al which concluded that patients treated with biologic drugs had the highest average scores for the signs and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation, contrary to patients treated with methotrexate and leflunomide who had the lowest averages for all categories. In this study, leflunomide was associated with the lowest scores of both anxiety and depression [113]. Similarly, Kekow et al reported no significant change in depression scores in patients with early active rheumatoid arthritis treated with etanercept+MTX compared with those treated with MTX only [117].…”

“…Current clinical treatments for RA aim to relieve signs and symptoms, namely inflammation, swelling and pain; minimize tissue damage; maintain the patients' functionality; and preserve quality of life, reducing premature mortality associated with the condition [113]. Regarding the influence of depression in the management of the rheumatic disease, Matcham et al reported that on a 2-year follow up study, baseline depression/anxiety status predicted both disease activity and disability across the entire observation period, also reducing response to prednisolone treatment in some patients.…”