ABS1217-HPR UNVEILING EMOTIONAL BURDEN: ASSESSMENT OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION USING THE HAD QUESTIONNAIRE AT THE ONSET OF BIOLOGICAL THERAPIES IN SPONDYLOARTHRITIS, RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, AND PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS

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Background: The psychological burden associated with chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and spondyloarthritis (SpA) can be substantial, significantly affecting patients' quality of life. In this context, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) has been integrated into our clinical practice to identify mood disorders at early stages of biological treatment. Objectives: This study explores the prevalence and impact of anxiety and depression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and spondyloarthritis using the HAD as an assessment tool at the start of biological therapy. Methods: From January to December 2024, a prospective study was conducted at our hospital's specialized nursing clinic. At the onset of biological treatment, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) was administered. This HAD questionnaire consists of 14 items, evenly divided between two subscales: one for anxiety (HAD-A) and one for depression (HAD-D). Each item is scored from 0 to 3, where 0 indicates no symptom presence and 3 reflects a high symptom presence. It was used to identify possible mood disorders that may require additional psychological intervention. The administration of the questionnaire was performed by the same specialized nurse, trained in its application and in the preliminary interpretation of results, thus ensuring consistent and reliable assessment throughout the study. Scoring . 0-7 points on each subscale indicate absence or normal levels of anxiety or depression. 8-10 points suggest the presence of a borderline or doubtful case of anxiety or depression. 11 points or more on any of the subscales indicate a probable clinical case of anxiety or depression Results: A total of 128 patients were included in the study, with an average age of 49.65 years (range 19-79), 46% (59) men and 53.9% (69) women. 51.6% (66) had SpA, 20.3% (26) RA, and 18.8% (24) PsA, with 9.4% (12) presenting other inflammatory diseases. The overall HAD-A score was 7.22 (range 0-20) and HAD-D was 4.91 (range 0-19). Scores according to gender are shown in Table 1, and according to different pathologies in Table 2. Conclusion: Assessment with the HAD questionnaire indicates a high prevalence of anxiety and depression among patients treated biologically for inflammatory diseases, highlighting the need for routine psychological evaluation. Significant differences in anxiety and depression scores were observed between genders and types of disease, with women and patients with rheumatoid arthritis showing higher levels. A notable segment of patients required referral to mental health, underscoring the importance of incorporating psychological support in the treatment of these pathologies. REFERENCES: NIL . Table 1HAD results by genderGenderHAD-AHAD-DMen5.66 ± 3.403.34 ± 3.50Women8.55 ± 4.916.25 ± 4.94 Table 2HAD Results by PathologyPathologyApsoARSpaHAD-A6.33 ± 3.789.42 ± 4.796.64 ± 4.42HAD-D5.83 ± 4.656.42 ± 5.363.85 ± 3.98 Acknowledgements: NIL . Disclosure of Interests: None declared . © The Authors 2025. This abstract is an open access article published in Annals of Rheumatic Diseases under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Neither EULAR nor the publisher make any representation as to the accuracy of the content. The authors are solely responsible for the content in their abstract including accuracy of the facts, statements, results, conclusion, citing resources etc.

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