Background Multiple studies have reported an association between depression and low bone mineral density. However, prevalence and severity of depression in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis are lacking.

Objectives The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and severity of depression in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and to identify eventual factors associated with this depression.

Methods In this cross sectional study, One hundred women with osteoporosis were included (mean age: 61.8±8.4 years). Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used for the assessment of the severity of depression with 5 degrees of severity (minimal, mild, moderate, moderately severe and severe depression). ECOS-16 quality of life questionnaire was used to evaluate the quality of life of patients. Eventual relationship between depression, osteoporosis and patients characteristics was analyzed.

Results Eighty nine percent of our patients are suffering from depression. Depression was minimal, mild, moderately severe and severe in respectively 40, 22, 19, 13 and 6%. Severity of depression was correlated with a decreased bone mineral density of the lumbar spine (r= -0.24; p=0.01), a bad quality of life (r=0.58; p<0.0001) and a global pain measured by visual analogical scale (r=0.43; p<0.0001). Multiple logistic regression models have shown that only quality of life of patient (OR=11.520; IC 95% (1.019- 13.270); p=0.04) was the significant independent factor related to depression severity.

Conclusions Our data suggests that in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, prevalence of depression is considerable. Also, severity of this depression depends closely on the quality of life of those patients. In consequence, assessment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women must consider the quality of life of patients and the severity of depression in guiding treatment decisions. Further studies on large samples are needed to confirm those results.

Disclosure of Interest None Declared