• G Bagnato, L G De Filippis, A Caliri, A Bruno, N Gambardella, M R Muscatello, R Cambria, and R Zoccali.
• U.O. di Reumatologia, Dip. Medicina Interna, Policlinico Universitario G. Martino, Messina, Italia.
• Reumatismo. 2006 Jul 1;58(3):206-11.

UnlabelledScientific research on rheumatic diseases was often focused on the link between psychological features and disease. Depression and anxiety are frequently observed with an higher incidence among rheumatic patients in comparison to general population. In autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, an important role for psychiatric symptoms could be played by the alteration of cytokines levels. In the chronic-degenerative diseases, psychological factors such as stress and depression, can be involved in perception of pain.ObjectiveWe aimed at evaluating in a sample of 50 patients (25 with rheumatoid arthritis and 25 with osteoarthritis) levels of pain, anxiety and depression.MethodsWe evaluated two group of patients with rheumatic disease, group A (25 with Rheumatoid Arthritis, mean age = 45.1; DS =15.24) and group B (25 with osteoarthritis, mean age = 54.3; DS =14.74) by clinic examination and with the following tests, SF-MPQ, HAQ, HAM-A, HAM-D.ResultsWe found in group A higher levels of depression and anxiety but lower levels of pain, which was more expressed in group B.ConclusionDepression and anxiety were observed with an higher prevalence in patients with autoimmune disease, whereas pain was stronger in patients with osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease. We could explain this phenomenon considering the aetiopathology of the two conditions. As regard to autoimmune disorders, these symptoms may reflect the direct effect of cytokines on the central nervous system. As far as it concerns chronic-degenerative diseases, anxiety and depression are usually considered "reactive" to pain, not "constitutive".

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