Presence of uveitis poses risks for patients to develop anxiety and depression

A systematic literature review and a meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate possible links between uveitis and anxiety and/or depression.

Study design

Twelve observational studies, with a combined total of 874 patients with uveitis, were included in the analysis. These studies focused on anxiety and/or depression and uveitis and discussed the association between the two; included studies also allowed for the effect estimates of the psychologic measurements to be calculated. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Symptom Check List-90 were used to evaluate both anxiety and depression, while the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale assessed anxiety alone and the Beck Depression Inventory assessed depression alone.

Outcomes

The overall incidence rate of anxiety for patients with uveitis was 39% and the incidence rate for depression was 17%. The highest rates for anxiety and depression were seen in patients with unspecified uveitis (59% and 35%, respectively). Forty-six percent of those patients with infectious uveitis had anxiety and 22% had depression, while the lowest rates of anxiety and depression were noted in patients with anterior uveitis (33% and 15%, respectively).

Limitations

The main limitation was that only 12 studies were included in the analysis. Confounding factors could not be excluded. Different scales used for anxiety and depression could make for heterogeneous results.

Clinical significance

There is significant association between the presence of uveitis in patients and their development of anxiety and/or depression. The overall risk of anxiety in patients with uveitis is 39% and the risk of depression in patients with uveitis is 17%. Additional studies are needed to confirm these findings.