Background The prevalence of psychological disorders is greater in patients with rheumatologic conditions than among the general population.

Objectives We aim in this study to determine the frequency of depression and anxiety disorders in spondylarthritis (SA) patients and to determine predictor disease parameters.

Methods We performed a cross-sectional monocentric study in 70 SA Tunisian patients. Presence of anxiety or depression disorders was evaluated by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale score (HADS). A certain anxious or depression state was defined by a HADS>10. Epidemiological factors of SA and different disease assessing measures were noted. For statistical analysis, we used Khi²-test for qualitative variables and Student-test for quantitative variables. A p value≤0,05 was considered significant.

Results There were 65% men and 35% women. Age ranged from 16 to 74 years with an average of 40,6 years. Disease mean duration was 10,75±9 years. Mean HADS score was 15,9 and 49 patients had HADS score >10 (certain depression or anxious state) corresponding to a frequency of 70%. 63% of patients had peripheral joints involvement and 65% had hips involvement. Mean Pain-VAS was 65mm and mean Tirederness-VAS was 56mm. Mean BASDAI score was 45%, mean BASFI score 44,7% and mean BASG-s score 55%. The mean BASMI score was 4,76 and the mean BASRI score 4,43. Statistical analysis showed that presence of depression or anxious state was correlated best with BASG-s (p=0,00006), followed by BASFI (p=0,001). Depression and anxiety were significally higher in female (p=0,02) and in patients with active disease (BASDAI>40%) (p=0,009). Depression or anxious status was correlated with Tiredness-VAS (p=0,004) and not with Pain-VAS (p=0,171). Psychological status was independent of disease duration (p=0,959), spine mobility (BASMI) (p=0,567) and of the severity of radiologic involvement (BASRI) (p=0,237). No correlation was seen with peripheral joints involvement nor with hips involvement (respectively p=0,914 and 0,660).

Conclusions Frequency of depression and anxiety disorders in SA is high. Female gender, general well- being, disease activity and functional impairment are predicting factors.

Disclosure of Interest None Declared