Depression and Anxiety in 336 Elective Orthopedic Patients

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Depression and anxiety are the two most common mental health disorders that can affect the well-being of the entire body. Multiple studies confirm that they can threaten the musculoskeletal system and the effects of orthopedic treatment as well. In turn, orthopedic disorders may worsen the symptoms of depression and anxiety. The study is aimed at assessing the incidence of depressive and anxiety disorders in orthopedic patients of our department and what are the characteristics of orthopedic patients regarding depressive disorders. <b>Methods</b>: After obtaining personal consent for trial, 336 patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery over a 12-month period were evaluated. Preoperatively, patients completed surveys containing questions from the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 forms. The pain was assessed with the VAS scale of 0-10 points and the information on the current psychiatric treatment was acquired. Patients were divided into subgroupsand statistical analysis was performed. <b>Results</b>: The incidence of moderate depression and generalized anxiety symptoms in orthopedic patients was 12.2% and 11.3%, respectively (several times higher than in the general population). In the group most at risk of depression, i.e., women over 40 and with foot and ankle diseases, the incidence of treated depression was 36%. In foot and ankle patients, prevalence for depression was more than three times higher (OR = 3.24, 95% CI 1.542-7.24) compared to the reference group. <b>Conclusions</b>: The problem of depression and generalized anxiety in orthopedic patients is clearly more common than in the general population. In our study, patients with foot and ankle disorders are the most vulnerable to depression.