Anxiety and depression in COPD

Anxiety and depression are the most common comorbidities of COPD and are often untreated or undertreated in these patients (1).

• the presence of depression or anxiety may significantly worsen patients' quality of life
• the prevalence of clinical depression in COPD patients vary between 10% and 42%, while the prevalence of anxiety ranges between 10% and 19%

The following factors are thought to be associated with depression and anxiety in Patients with COPD:

• physical disability
• long term oxygen therapy
• low BMI
• severe dyspnoea
• predicted FEV1<50%
• poor quality of life
• presence of comorbidity
• living alone
• female gender
• current smoking
• low social class (1)

NICE guidelines recommend that:

• health care professionals should be alert to the presence of depression in patients with COPD. The presence of anxiety and depression should be considered in patients:
  • who are hypoxic
  • who have severe dyspnoea
  • who have been seen at or admitted to a hospital with an of exacerbation of COPD

Reference:

• 1. Maurer J et al. Anxiety and depression in COPD: current understanding, unanswered questions, and research needs. Chest. 2008;134(4 Suppl):43S-56S.
• 2. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) 2010. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults in primary and secondary care.