Prevalence of Depression among Patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Abstract Background and Objective: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) significantly impacts patient morbidity, with its aetiopathogenesis still not fully understood. Depression has been suggested as a contributing factor. This study aims to examine the prevalence of depression in CRPS patients and identify associated patient-related factors. Methodology: All patients diagnosed with CRPS during the 1-year study period who qualified the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Participants were screened for depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and subsequently classified according to their depression severity scores. Pain was assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) score. Results: Of the 70 patients who satisfied the inclusion criteria for CRPS, 36 patients had depression (51.4%). Depression was significantly more prevalent in females ( P = 0.007) and in those patients with high VAS scores. Conclusions: Depression is more prevalent in CRPS patients who are females or have high VAS scores, indicating the need for targeted depression screening.