Anxiety and depression in Tunisian patients with COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic lung disease with a multi-systemic impact that can be complicated by psycho-affective disorders.

To determinethe frequency of anxiety and depression in patients followed for stable COPD in a university hospital-center in Tunisand to determine the predictors of their onset.

This was an analytical cross-sectional studyof patients followed for stable COPD at the pulmonology department of the Mongi Slim La Marsa Hospital. The symptoms of COPD were assessed by the Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Assessment Test (CAT), its severity by the GOLD 2020 classification and the screening of psycho-affective disorders by the HAD scale.

One hundred and three patients were enrolled, with an average age of 64 years. The prevalence of anxiety was 44.7% and that of depression was 33.9%with 26.2% of patients with a major depressive episode. In multivariate analysis by binary logistic regression, the highest values of CAT score were associated with anxiety, depression, and the onset of a major depressive episode. Other factors associated with anxiety and the onset of a major depressive episode were associated heart rhythm disorders and the lowest BMI values. In addition, the female gender was associated with the onset of a major depressive episode.

Anxiety and depression are common in Tunisian patients with COPD, hence the interest of their systematic screening.