Journal of International Psychiatry

[Abstract] OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in elderly patients with chronic gastritis in a tertiary general hospital in Anqing, and to explore the correlation between anxiety and depression symptoms and general demographic characteristics and Helicobacter pylori infection (Hp).METHODS: One hundred and five elderly patients with chronic gastritis were included and assessed for anxiety and depression by Human Anti-Murine Antibodies (Hamilton Anxiety Inventory, HAMA) and 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17). mood, and H. pylori infection was detected using the 14C-urea breath test.Results: Among 105 patients, 63 patients (60%) had anxiety symptoms, 63 patients (60%) had depressive symptoms, both anxiety and depressive symptoms existed together, and 42 patients (40%) had no anxiety and depressive symptoms; among patients with chronic gastritis with anxiety symptoms and depressive symptoms, there was no statistical difference in gender and age (P > 0.05); however, there was a statistical difference in the number of years of education between them (P < 0.05). There was a statistically significant difference (p<0.05); and the rate of HP positivity was significantly higher in patients with anxiety symptoms and depression than in patients without anxiety and depression, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.012). the difference between the total HAMA score (18.09±8.81 in the Hp-infected group and 14.27±10.18 in the Hp-uninfected group, p=0.043) was statistically significant, while HAMD-17 total score (13.07±5.66 in the Hp-infected group and 10.71±6.44 in the Hp-uninfected group) approached significant difference (p=0.055); HAMA somatic anxiety factor (9.58+4.71 in the Hp-infected group and 7.55+5.08 in the Hp-uninfected group, p=0.04) difference was statistically significant.CONCLUSION: The incidence of anxiety and depression was higher among elderly patients with chronic gastritis in general hospitals, and anxiety and depression were associated with years of education and H. pylori infection, and there was a correlation between H. pylori infection and anxiety symptoms in elderly patients with chronic gastritis, with somatization symptoms predominating.

Chronic gastritis; anxiety symptoms; depressive symptoms; Helicobacter pylori