Increasing Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression Disorders After Diagnosis of Chronic Pancreatitis

Objectives Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is often associated with poor quality of life. Only a few small associative studies have reported the prevalence of mood disorders in CP. Using a large database, we sought to describe the epidemiology and risk association of anxiety and depression in CP and evaluate their outcomes. Methods A multicenter database (Explorys), an aggregate of electronic health record data from 26 US healthcare systems, was surveyed. A cohort of patients with a diagnosis of CP between 2014 and 2019 was identified. Within this cohort, rates of anxiety and depression were calculated. Demographics, comorbidities, and outcomes were described. Results Of the 30,276,810 individuals in the database (2014–2019), 67,260 patients had a CP diagnosis (0.22%). When compared with patients with no history of CP, patients with CP were more likely to develop anxiety (odds ratio, 6.94; 95% confidence interval, 6.85–7.04) and depression (odds ratio, 5.09; 95% confidence interval, 5.01–5.17). Chronic pancreatitis patients with depression had an increased risk of suicidal ideation compared with controls. Conclusions Patients with CP are at a higher risk of developing anxiety and depression compared with those without CP, with overall worse outcomes. Clinicians should screen CP patients and make appropriate referral to psychiatry when indicated.