Longitudinal associations of multiple physical symptoms with recurrence of depressive and anxiety disorders

- MPS and recurrence of depression/anxiety were examined in a prospective cohort study.
- MPS were positively related to recurrence of depression/anxiety.
- These associations were independent of residual depressive and anxiety symptoms.

ObjectiveTo examine longitudinal associations of multiple physical symptoms with recurrence of depressive and anxiety disorders.MethodsFollow-up data of 584 participants with remitted depressive or anxiety disorders were used from the Netherlands Study of Depressive and Anxiety disorders. Multiple physical symptoms were measured at baseline (T1) and two-year follow-up (T2) by the Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire (4DSQ) somatization subscale. Recurrence of depressive and anxiety disorders was assessed at two-year (T2) and four-year (T4) follow-up with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Logistic Generalized Estimating Equations were used to examine associations of multiple physical symptoms with recurrence of depressive and anxiety disorders. Depressive (IDS-SR) and anxiety symptoms (BAI), and other relevant covariates were taken into account.ResultsMultiple physical symptoms were significantly associated with recurrence of depression (OR = 1.04, 95%CI = 1.00-1.08), anxiety (OR = 1.07, 95%CI = 1.03-1.12), and depressive or anxiety disorders (OR = 1.06, 95%CI = 1.02-1.10), on average over time. Odds ratios did not change substantially when the IDS-SR mood-cognition and BAI subjective scale were included as covariates.ConclusionThe presence of multiple physical symptoms was positively related to recurrence of depressive and anxiety disorders, independent of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Knowledge of risk factors for recurrence of depressive and anxiety disorders, such as the presence of multiple physical symptoms, could provide possibilities for better targeting interventions to prevent recurrence.