Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety in Patients with Autoimmune Disease: A Comparative Study with a Diabetic Population

Introduction: Systemic diseases are a variety of heterogeneous autoimmune and/or autoinflammatory diseases and syndromes usually affecting multiple systems and resulting from immune system dysregulation. We evaluated risk factors for depression and anxiety in an autoimmune disease cohort compared with diabetic patients. Patients and Methods: We conducted an observational, cross-sectional, case-control survey comparing two groups: individuals with connective tissue disease (CTD) and diabetic controls who were followed within three Dakar University hospitals during the period from April to June 2023. Results: The sample comprised 106 participants, of whom 51 (48%) had CTD and 55 (52%) served as diabetic controls. In the CTD group, the majority had lupus (19) and rheumatoid arthritis (23). The CTD patients had a mean age of 41.0 years (SD 16.9), while the diabetic patients had a mean age of 55.9 years (SD 11.7), with a significant difference observed (p < 0.001). The prevalence of anxiety was higher in patients with CTD (37%) than in those with diabetes (5%) (p < 0.001). Of all anxious patients in both groups, 86% had CTD and 14% had diabetes. In the case of depression, CTD patients had a higher prevalence, but the associated difference was not significant. Indeed, it was seven times higher in patients with CTD than in those with diabetes (OR 7.3, CI [1.78 - 41], p = 0.005). Conclusion: Compared to a chronic disease, devastating in Africa and evolving over the long term, autoimmune diseases are more strongly and more frequently associated with anxiety and depression. This is a factor to be taken into account in the holistic management of these patients.