Javed Ahmed Phulpoto, Shafi Mohammad.
Frequency of depression in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients attending medical OPD of Ghulam Mohammad Mahar Medical College Hospital, Sukkur, Pakistan.
Rawal Med J Jan ;37(4):352-5.

Background: Psychiatric comorbidity is a significant co-morbid condition of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). No studies from Interior Sindh have been conducted to assess the frequency of depression in COPD. Objective: To Assess the Frequency of Depression in Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients attending Medical OPD of Ghulam Mohammad Mahar Medical College Hospital, Sukkur Study Design: Prospective observational study Place & Duration of Study: Medical opd, Ghulam Mohammad Mahar Medical College Hospital Sukkur, between July 2011 and December 2011 Methods: We investigated the frequency of depression in 100 consecutive stable COPD patients during their routine out-patient department visits to the medical opd of Ghulam Mohammad Mahar Medical College Hospital Sukkur. Patients diagnosed to have depression or chronic systemic diseases were excluded. Severity of the COPD was classified according to Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines. Sindhi and Urdu translations of patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were administered and severity of depression was assessed at each stage of the COPD. Results: All subjects were males with a mean age of 61.7 ± 9.6 years. Six patients in stage 1, 32 patients in stage II, 40 patients in stage III and 22 patients in stage IV of the COPD were enrolled. The cumulative frequency of depression in the study population was 72 percent. Conclusion: Symptoms of depression were observed at all stages of COPD and its severity increased with an increase in severity of the COPD. High prevalence of depressive symptoms in patients with COPD may be due to various confounding factors. Screening for symptoms of depression in patients with COPD by simple and quick validated questionnaires during their out-patient visits will be helpful in early diagnosis and appropriate treatment or referral.

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com