Anxiety and depression in patients with uveitis: a comprehensive review of observational studies

Purpose of the reviewThe purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of observational studies evaluating anxiety and depression in patients with uveitis.A higher prevalence of depression was reported in patients with uveitis compared to healthy controls in most observational studies. Symptoms of anxiety were often, but not always, significantly worse in patients with uveitis compared to controls. Most studies found that patients with uveitis had reduced vision-related quality of life that was associated with anxiety and depression symptoms.Patients with uveitis have a higher risk of experiencing symptoms of depression and could benefit from screening and treatment. Preliminary screening for vision-related quality of life could also help determine if the patient requires assistance in mental health or other aspects of daily living.Papers of particular interest, published within the annual period of review, have been highlighted as:Uveitis refers to a heterogenous group of diseases characterized by inflammation of the uvea, the pigmented layer of the eye, and is estimated to cause blindness in up to 24% of patients in developing countries and 10% in developed countries [1]. It affects relatively young patients from 20 to 50 years of age with children accounting for up to 10% of uveitis cases in tertiary referral centers [2,3]. The etiology of uveitis is broad and includes infectious causes, such as toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis, and herpetic infection, as well as noninfectious immune-mediated causes, including those associated with human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27), Behcet's disease (BD), and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), that are more common in developed countries. Despite extensive workup for some of the common etiologies, 30-60% of uveitis cases have unknown cause [4].There are many challenges for patients living with a diagnosis of uveitis. The disease course can be unpredictable and chronic, requiring frequent follow-up and treatment with invasive procedures and/or systemic immunosuppression. Several studies have demonstrated decreased health- and vision-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with uveitis, which in turn can negatively affect mental health [5-8]. Anxiety and depression are significant comorbidities in other chronic ocular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), dry eye disease (DED), and glaucoma, and have emerged as a topic of interest in uveitis [9-11]. A meta-analysis including 12 observational studies in patients with uveitis estimated the prevalence of anxiety at 39% and depression at 17%, much higher than 7.3% for anxiety and 6% for depression that were estimated for the general population worldwide [12-14]. Since then, several new studies have been published that provide additional insight into this issue.This review provides a succinct yet comprehensive summary of the studies that investigated symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients in uveitis. no caption availablePurpose of the reviewThe purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of observational studies evaluating anxiety and depression in patients with uveitis.A higher prevalence of depression was reported in patients with uveitis compared to healthy controls in most observational studies. Symptoms of anxiety were often, but not always, significantly worse in patients with uveitis compared to controls. Most studies found that patients with uveitis had reduced vision-related quality of life that was associated with anxiety and depression symptoms. Patients with uveitis have a higher risk of experiencing symptoms of depression and could benefit from screening and treatment. Preliminary screening for vision-related quality of life could also help determine if the patient requires assistance in mental health or other aspects of daily living.Papers of particular interest, published within the annual period of review, have been highlighted as:Uveitis refers to a heterogenous group of diseases characterized by inflammation of the uvea, the pigmented layer of the eye, and is estimated to cause blindness in up to 24% of patients in developing countries and 10% in developed countries [1]. It affects relatively young patients from 20 to 50 years of age with children accounting for up to 10% of uveitis cases in tertiary referral centers [2,3]. The etiology of uveitis is broad and includes infectious causes, such as toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis, and herpetic infection, as well as noninfectious immune-mediated causes, including those associated with human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27), Behcet's disease (BD), and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), that are more common in developed countries. Despite extensive workup for some of the common etiologies, 30-60% of uveitis cases have unknown cause [4].There are many challenges for patients living with a diagnosis of uveitis. The disease course can be unpredictable and chronic, requiring frequent follow-up and treatment with invasive procedures and/or systemic immunosuppression. Several studies have demonstrated decreased health- and vision-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with uveitis, which in turn can negatively affect mental health [5-8]. Anxiety and depression are significant comorbidities in other chronic ocular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), dry eye disease (DED), and glaucoma, and have emerged as a topic of interest in uveitis [9-11]. A meta-analysis including 12 observational studies in patients with uveitis estimated the prevalence of anxiety at 39% and depression at 17%, much higher than 7.3% for anxiety and 6% for depression that were estimated for the general population worldwide [12-14]. Since then, several new studies have been published that provide additional insight into this issue.This review provides a succinct yet comprehensive summary of the studies that investigated symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients in uveitis. no caption availablePurpose of the reviewThe purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of observational studies evaluating anxiety and depression in patients with uveitis.A higher prevalence of depression was reported in patients with uveitis compared to healthy controls in most observational studies. Symptoms of anxiety were often, but not always, significantly worse in patients with uveitis compared to controls. Most studies found that patients with uveitis had reduced vision-related quality of life that was associated with anxiety and depression symptoms.Patients with uveitis have a higher risk of experiencing symptoms of depression and could benefit from screening and treatment. Preliminary screening for vision-related quality of life could also help determine if the patient requires assistance in mental health or other aspects of daily living. Papers of particular interest, published within the annual period of review, have been highlighted as:Uveitis refers to a heterogenous group of diseases characterized by inflammation of the uvea, the pigmented layer of the eye, and is estimated to cause blindness in up to 24% of patients in developing countries and 10% in developed countries [1]. It affects relatively young patients from 20 to 50 years of age with children accounting for up to 10% of uveitis cases in tertiary referral centers [2,3]. The etiology of uveitis is broad and includes infectious causes, such as toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis, and herpetic infection, as well as noninfectious immune-mediated causes, including those associated with human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27), Behcet's disease (BD), and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), that are more common in developed countries. Despite extensive workup for some of the common etiologies, 30-60% of uveitis cases have unknown cause [4].There are many challenges for patients living with a diagnosis of uveitis. The disease course can be unpredictable and chronic, requiring frequent follow-up and treatment with invasive procedures and/or systemic immunosuppression. Several studies have demonstrated decreased health- and vision-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with uveitis, which in turn can negatively affect mental health [5-8]. Anxiety and depression are significant comorbidities in other chronic ocular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), dry eye disease (DED), and glaucoma, and have emerged as a topic of interest in uveitis [9-11]. A meta-analysis including 12 observational studies in patients with uveitis estimated the prevalence of anxiety at 39% and depression at 17%, much higher than 7.3% for anxiety and 6% for depression that were estimated for the general population worldwide [12-14]. Since then, several new studies have been published that provide additional insight into this issue.This review provides a succinct yet comprehensive summary of the studies that investigated symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients in uveitis. no caption availablePurpose of the reviewThe purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of observational studies evaluating anxiety and depression in patients with uveitis.A higher prevalence of depression was reported in patients with uveitis compared to healthy controls in most observational studies. Symptoms of anxiety were often, but not always, significantly worse in patients with uveitis compared to controls. Most studies found that patients with uveitis had reduced vision-related quality of life that was associated with anxiety and depression symptoms.Patients with uveitis have a higher risk of experiencing symptoms of depression and could benefit from screening and treatment. Preliminary screening for vision-related quality of life could also help determine if the patient requires assistance in mental health or other aspects of daily living.Papers of particular interest, published within the annual period of review, have been highlighted as:Uveitis refers to a heterogenous group of diseases characterized by inflammation of the uvea, the pigmented layer of the eye, and is estimated to cause blindness in up to 24% of patients in developing countries and 10% in developed countries [1]. It affects relatively young patients from 20 to 50 years of age with children accounting for up to 10% of uveitis cases in tertiary referral centers [2,3]. The etiology of uveitis is broad and includes infectious causes, such as toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis, and herpetic infection, as well as noninfectious immune-mediated causes, including those associated with human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27), Behcet's disease (BD), and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), that are more common in developed countries. Despite extensive workup for some of the common etiologies, 30-60% of uveitis cases have unknown cause [4].There are many challenges for patients living with a diagnosis of uveitis. The disease course can be unpredictable and chronic, requiring frequent follow-up and treatment with invasive procedures and/or systemic immunosuppression. Several studies have demonstrated decreased health- and vision-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with uveitis, which in turn can negatively affect mental health [5-8]. Anxiety and depression are significant comorbidities in other chronic ocular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), dry eye disease (DED), and glaucoma, and have emerged as a topic of interest in uveitis [9-11]. A meta-analysis including 12 observational studies in patients with uveitis estimated the prevalence of anxiety at 39% and depression at 17%, much higher than 7.3% for anxiety and 6% for depression that were estimated for the general population worldwide [12-14]. Since then, several new studies have been published that provide additional insight into this issue.This review provides a succinct yet comprehensive summary of the studies that investigated symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients in uveitis. no caption availablePurpose of the reviewThe purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of observational studies evaluating anxiety and depression in patients with uveitis.A higher prevalence of depression was reported in patients with uveitis compared to healthy controls in most observational studies. Symptoms of anxiety were often, but not always, significantly worse in patients with uveitis compared to controls. Most studies found that patients with uveitis had reduced vision-related quality of life that was associated with anxiety and depression symptoms.Patients with uveitis have a higher risk of experiencing symptoms of depression and could benefit from screening and treatment. Preliminary screening for vision-related quality of life could also help determine if the patient requires assistance in mental health or other aspects of daily living.Papers of particular interest, published within the annual period of review, have been highlighted as:Uveitis refers to a heterogenous group of diseases characterized by inflammation of the uvea, the pigmented layer of the eye, and is estimated to cause blindness in up to 24% of patients in developing countries and 10% in developed countries [1]. It affects relatively young patients from 20 to 50 years of age with children accounting for up to 10% of uveitis cases in tertiary referral centers [2,3]. The etiology of uveitis is broad and includes infectious causes, such as toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis, and herpetic infection, as well as noninfectious immune-mediated causes, including those associated with human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27), Behcet's disease (BD), and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), that are more common in developed countries. Despite extensive workup for some of the common etiologies, 30-60% of uveitis cases have unknown cause [4].There are many challenges for patients living with a diagnosis of uveitis. The disease course can be unpredictable and chronic, requiring frequent follow-up and treatment with invasive procedures and/or systemic immunosuppression. Several studies have demonstrated decreased health- and vision-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with uveitis, which in turn can negatively affect mental health [5-8]. Anxiety and depression are significant comorbidities in other chronic ocular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), dry eye disease (DED), and glaucoma, and have emerged as a topic of interest in uveitis [9-11]. A meta-analysis including 12 observational studies in patients with uveitis estimated the prevalence of anxiety at 39% and depression at 17%, much higher than 7.3% for anxiety and 6% for depression that were estimated for the general population worldwide [12-14]. Since then, several new studies have been published that provide additional insight into this issue.This review provides a succinct yet comprehensive summary of the studies that investigated symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients in uveitis. no caption availablePurpose of the reviewThe purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of observational studies evaluating anxiety and depression in patients with uveitis.A higher prevalence of depression was reported in patients with uveitis compared to healthy controls in most observational studies. Symptoms of anxiety were often, but not always, significantly worse in patients with uveitis compared to controls. Most studies found that patients with uveitis had reduced vision-related quality of life that was associated with anxiety and depression symptoms.Patients with uveitis have a higher risk of experiencing symptoms of depression and could benefit from screening and treatment. Preliminary screening for vision-related quality of life could also help determine if the patient requires assistance in mental health or other aspects of daily living.Papers of particular interest, published within the annual period of review, have been highlighted as:Uveitis refers to a heterogenous group of diseases characterized by inflammation of the uvea, the pigmented layer of the eye, and is estimated to cause blindness in up to 24% of patients in developing countries and 10% in developed countries [1]. It affects relatively young patients from 20 to 50 years of age with children accounting for up to 10% of uveitis cases in tertiary referral centers [2,3]. The etiology of uveitis is broad and includes infectious causes, such as toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis, and herpetic infection, as well as noninfectious immune-mediated causes, including those associated with human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27), Behcet's disease (BD), and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), that are more common in developed countries. Despite extensive workup for some of the common etiologies, 30-60% of uveitis cases have unknown cause [4].There are many challenges for patients living with a diagnosis of uveitis. The disease course can be unpredictable and chronic, requiring frequent follow-up and treatment with invasive procedures and/or systemic immunosuppression. Several studies have demonstrated decreased health- and vision-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with uveitis, which in turn can negatively affect mental health [5-8]. Anxiety and depression are significant comorbidities in other chronic ocular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), dry eye disease (DED), and glaucoma, and have emerged as a topic of interest in uveitis [9-11]. A meta-analysis including 12 observational studies in patients with uveitis estimated the prevalence of anxiety at 39% and depression at 17%, much higher than 7.3% for anxiety and 6% for depression that were estimated for the general population worldwide [12-14]. Since then, several new studies have been published that provide additional insight into this issue.This review provides a succinct yet comprehensive summary of the studies that investigated symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients in uveitis. no caption availablePurpose of the reviewThe purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of observational studies evaluating anxiety and depression in patients with uveitis.A higher prevalence of depression was reported in patients with uveitis compared to healthy controls in most observational studies. Symptoms of anxiety were often, but not always, significantly worse in patients with uveitis compared to controls. Most studies found that patients with uveitis had reduced vision-related quality of life that was associated with anxiety and depression symptoms.Patients with uveitis have a higher risk of experiencing symptoms of depression and could benefit from screening and treatment. Preliminary screening for vision-related quality of life could also help determine if the patient requires assistance in mental health or other aspects of daily living.Papers of particular interest, published within the annual period of review, have been highlighted as:Uveitis refers to a heterogenous group of diseases characterized by inflammation of the uvea, the pigmented layer of the eye, and is estimated to cause blindness in up to 24% of patients in developing countries and 10% in developed countries [1]. It affects relatively young patients from 20 to 50 years of age with children accounting for up to 10% of uveitis cases in tertiary referral centers [2,3]. The etiology of uveitis is broad and includes infectious causes, such as toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis, and herpetic infection, as well as noninfectious immune-mediated causes, including those associated with human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27), Behcet's disease (BD), and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), that are more common in developed countries. Despite extensive workup for some of the common etiologies, 30-60% of uveitis cases have unknown cause [4].There are many challenges for patients living with a diagnosis of uveitis. The disease course can be unpredictable and chronic, requiring frequent follow-up and treatment with invasive procedures and/or systemic immunosuppression. Several studies have demonstrated decreased health- and vision-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with uveitis, which in turn can negatively affect mental health [5-8]. Anxiety and depression are significant comorbidities in other chronic ocular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), dry eye disease (DED), and glaucoma, and have emerged as a topic of interest in uveitis [9-11]. A meta-analysis including 12 observational studies in patients with uveitis estimated the prevalence of anxiety at 39% and depression at 17%, much higher than 7.3% for anxiety and 6% for depression that were estimated for the general population worldwide [12-14]. Since then, several new studies have been published that provide additional insight into this issue.This review provides a succinct yet comprehensive summary of the studies that investigated symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients in uveitis. no caption availablePurpose of the reviewThe purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary of observational studies evaluating anxiety and depression in patients with uveitis.A higher prevalence of depression was reported in patients with uveitis compared to healthy controls in most observational studies. Symptoms of anxiety were often, but not always, significantly worse in patients with uveitis compared to controls. Most studies found that patients with uveitis had reduced vision-related quality of life that was associated with anxiety and depression symptoms.Patients with uveitis have a higher risk of experiencing symptoms of depression and could benefit from screening and treatment. Preliminary screening for vision-related quality of life could also help determine if the patient requires assistance in mental health or other aspects of daily living.Papers of particular interest, published within the annual period of review, have been highlighted as:Uveitis refers to a heterogenous group of diseases characterized by inflammation of the uvea, the pigmented layer of the eye, and is estimated to cause blindness in up to 24% of patients in developing countries and 10% in developed countries [1]. It affects relatively young patients from 20 to 50 years of age with children accounting for up to 10% of uveitis cases in tertiary referral centers [2,3]. The etiology of uveitis is broad and includes infectious causes, such as toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis, and herpetic infection, as well as noninfectious immune-mediated causes, including those associated with human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27), Behcet's disease (BD), and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), that are more common in developed countries. Despite extensive workup for some of the common etiologies, 30-60% of uveitis cases have unknown cause [4].There are many challenges for patients living with a diagnosis of uveitis. The disease course can be unpredictable and chronic, requiring frequent follow-up and treatment with invasive procedures and/or systemic immunosuppression. Several studies have demonstrated decreased health- and vision-related quality of life (QoL) in patients with uveitis, which in turn can negatively affect mental health [5-8]. Anxiety and depression are significant comorbidities in other chronic ocular diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), dry eye disease (DED), and glaucoma, and have emerged as a topic of interest in uveitis [9-11]. A meta-analysis including 12 observational studies in patients with uveitis estimated the prevalence of anxiety at 39% and depression at 17%, much higher than 7.3% for anxiety and 6% for depression that were estimated for the general population worldwide [12-14]. Since then, several new studies have been published that provide additional insight into this issue.This review provides a succinct yet comprehensive summary of the studies that investigated symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients in uveitis. no caption available