Doctors 'should look for depression' in arthritis patients

Doctors should be aware of the signs of depression in rheumatoid arthritis patients as research finds they are twice as likely to experience it than non-sufferers, but are unlikely to talk about it.

Research published in Arthritis Care and Research found nearly 11 per cent of arthritis patients have either sever or moderately sever forms of depression.

However, doctors are being encouraged to spot the signs as only one in five of those who suffer from it discuss it with rheumatologists.

Additional findings showed that when the issue was discussed they were the ones to bring it up, rather than the physician, but that it was not discussed at length when they did so.

Betsy Sleath, the study's lead author, said: "Since many arthritis patients see their rheumatologist more often then their primary-care physician, we recommend that rheumatologists take steps to screen patients for signs of depression."

She added that depression can "greatly affect" the wellbeing of a patient, adding that it can also affect treatment regimes and so impact the arthritis.

Advice from Arthritis Today to reduce stress, and so lessen the chances of developing depression, include breathing steadily and flexing muscles.

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