Multiple Sclerosis Patients in Saudi Arabia: Prevalence of Depression and its Extent of Severity

Abstract

BackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a serious chronic autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system of unknown etiology. MS-related depression is a common mood disorder recognized within the medical community. However, their association is ambiguous, underdiagnosed, undertreated and less reported. ObjectivesThe study aimed to estimate the point prevalence and severity of depression among multiple sclerosis patients in Saudi Arabia. Materials and methodsWe conducted an observational cross-sectional study among multiple sclerosis patients in Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia. Patients filled demographic data and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to determine depression. Those who did not meet the age, disease duration, and regular follow-up eligibility criteria were excluded from the study. ResultsWe enrolled 238 MS patients in the study, male patients represented 39.1% (n = 93) while females accounted for 60.9% (n = 145) (male:female ratio 0.64). The mean age of the study population was 32.07 ± 7.93 years. The mean duration of the disease was 7.06 ± 4.7 years. We determined that 89.9% (n = 214) of the patients showed mild to severe depression symptoms (55.46% of the females, and 34.4% of the males; p = 0.474). We further found that 37.39% (n = 89) and 65.13% (n = 155) of the depressed patients were unemployed (p = 0.039) and were non-smokers (p = 0.097) respectively. Furthermore, depression severity is significantly associated with education (p = 0.005). ConclusionHigh levels of depression symptoms were found among MS patients in Saudi Arabia. The relationship between MS and psychiatric conditions exists despite the uncertainty of its pathogenesis. Further longitudinal studies should be carried out to obtain more valid outcomes. Neurologists treating MS patients can play a role in studies related to the condition by investigating depressive symptoms actively and providing the data.

The Prevalence and Association of Depression and Anxiety With Multiple Sclerosis in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…In the current study, the prevalence of depression and anxiety differed among different age groups, with the older age groups showing higher levels of both mild anxiety and depression, on average. This finding is not consistent with the results of the previous study [ 19 ]. Our study also found a significant relationship between depression and the health state of MS patients, with depression correlating with a deteriorating health status.…”

“…The association between MS and psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety is a complex relationship that has not yet been fully understood [ 19 ]. MS is a chronic disease associated with a considerable effect on the patient’s quality of life.…”

“…MS is a chronic disease associated with a considerable effect on the patient’s quality of life. Those who suffer from it require physical and psychological care [ 19 ]. Our results demonstrate the prevalence level of depression and anxiety among community-based multiple sclerosis patients in Riyadh, in which more than half of the participants had moderate or severe anxiety, while 28.85% of participants showed mild to moderate depression.…”

The Role of Self-compassion and Hope in the Relationship Between Psychological Wellbeing, Maladaptive Schemas, Resilience, and Social Support in Women With Multiple Sclerosis

“…ultiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory, chronic, and autoimmune disease, i.e., associated with the destruction of the myelin sheath in the central nervous system (Patten 2020). MS development is attributed to a combination of genetic and environmental factors (Alhussain et al 2020). The epidemiology of MS has changed in recent decades; numerous reports are released every day on the increasing prevalence of the disease worldwide.…”

Multiple Sclerosis in Saudi Arabia: Clinical, Social, and Psychological Aspects of the Disease

“…Several studies attempted to address the correlation between MS and depression [ 10 ]. In Saudi Arabia, there is limited current literature about the incidence and relationship between depression and MS [ 18 - 19 ]. In a meta-analysis conducted by Etemadifar et al, there is limited availability of data with varied quality scores, diagnostic criteria, sample size, and methods [ 20 ].…”