FREQUENCY OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY AMONG PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC SCIATICA; UNSCREENED AND UNDIAGNOSED CASES MAY REPRESENT AN ICEBERG PHENOMENON

Depression And Anxiety Among Patients With Chronic Sciatica

Abstract

Objective: To calculate frequency and grades of undocumented anxiety and depression in patients having
unilateral sciatica due to single prolapsed lumbar inter-vertebral disc (PLIVD).
Study Design: Cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital Lahore, from Mar 2013 to Jun 2014.
Material and Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted at Combined Military Hospital Lahore, from March 2013 to Jun 2014, with non-probability consecutive sampling. Cases were taken from neurosurgery department, having sciatica due to single PLIVD. Controls were selected from healthy personnel with neither any current major/minor ailment nor any diagnosed mental or physical health issue. First hundred individuals meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled as controls and cases (100 each). Independent variables were multiple demographic factors; dependent variables were grades of anxiety and depression. Standardized Beck Anxiety Inventory-Udru (BAI-U) and Beck Depression Inventory-Urdu (BDI-U) were selected. Authors assisted the subjects to fill inventories. Statistical analysis was done via descriptive statistics (SPSS-15), data expressed in frequencies, percentages and mean ± SD (standard deviation), cross-tabulation done via chi-square; p-value <0.05 was considered as significant.
Results: Out of 200 subjects, frequencies of males and females were 72.0% and 28.0% respectively; mean  age 39.15 ± 15.001 years, education grades 9.27 ± 5.87 and income/month 43510.00 ± 53305.32 PKR. Among cases, higher frequencies of anxiety (84%) and depression (55%) were found as compared to controls (anxiety 24%, depression 8%). Anxiety (p-0.03) was more significant than depression (p-0.131); while severe anxiety, severe depression and suicidal ideation were present in 27.0%, 19.0% and 4% respectively. Females were more prone to have anxiety (p-0.003); patients aged 25-60 years had significant depression (p-0.02).
Conclusion: Considerable number of patients with chronic unilateral sciatica were diagnosed to have significant anxiety/depression. Multidisciplinary approach involving psychiatrists must be adopted to timely screen and aptly manage these patients.