Frequency Of Depression Among Patients With Chronic Liver Disease

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Psychiatry
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Psychiatric co-morbidities are common in chronic liver disease (CLD).
• Patients with CLD often experience anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, behavioral disorders, and cognitive deficits.
• Major depression is a significant concern in the CLD population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of major depression in patients diagnosed with chronic liver disease.
• To investigate the association between depression and demographic/clinical factors in CLD patients.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 111 CLD patients.
• Data collected via medical history, physical examination, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D) questionnaire.
• Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, Chi-Square tests, and stratification by age, gender, and CLD duration.

Main Results:

• 34.2% of CLD patients (38 out of 111) exhibited depression based on HADS-D scores.
• Depression showed a statistically significant association with the duration of chronic liver disease (p<0.05).
• Increased serum ALT levels were also significantly associated with depression in CLD patients.

Conclusions:

• Depression is a prevalent condition among patients with chronic liver disease.
• The duration of CLD and elevated liver enzymes are significantly associated with depression.
• These findings highlight the importance of screening for depression in CLD patients.