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Depression and Reactivity to Stress in Older Women With Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis

From the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona.

Address reprint requests to: Alex J. Zautra, P.O. Box 871104, Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1104. Email: alex.zautra{at}asu.edu

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the role of depressive symptoms in reactivity to stress and pain in older women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA).

METHODS: Participants were 188 older women with RA (N = 87) and OA (N = 101). They were initially assessed for depressive symptoms and interviewed weekly for 12 to 20 weeks regarding interpersonal stress, arthritis pain, and negative affect.

RESULTS: Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) revealed that depressive symptoms were related to weekly elevations in arthritis pain, negative events, perceived stress, and negative affect for RA respondents and elevations in arthritis pain and negative affect for OA respondents. HLM analyses also indicated that depressive symptoms were related to increased reactivity to perceived stress and arthritis pain in people with RA, but not those with OA.

CONCLUSIONS: Depression may be related to elevations in pain for people with RA and OA and to elevations in stress and increased reactivity to stress and pain for those with RA.

Key Words: depression • arthritis • stress reactivity • pain • women

Abbreviations: RA = rheumatoid arthritis; OA = osteoarthritis; Il-6 = interleukin 6.

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