Incident depression in patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis: a multi-database study

Background and purpose: Data on rates of newly diagnosed depression after multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis are sparse. Here, incident, treated depression in MS patients after diagnosis compared with matched non-MS patients is described. Methods: A matched cohort study was conducted in two separate electronic medical databases: the US Department of Defense (US-DOD) military healthcare system and the UK’s Clinical Practice Research Datalink GOLD (UK-CPRD). The study population included all patients with a first recorded diagnosis of MS and matched non-MS patients. Patients with a history of treated depression were excluded. Incidence rates and incidence rate ratios with 95% confidence intervals for treated depression after MS diagnosis/matched date were estimated. Results: Incidence rate ratios of treated depression amongst MS patients compared with non-MS patients were 3.20 (95% confidence interval 3.05–3.35) in the US-DOD and 1.90 (95% confidence interval 1.74–2.06) in the UK-CPRD. Incidence rate ratios were elevated across age and sex. Rates were higher in females than males but, compared to non-MS patients, males with MS had a higher relative risk than females with MS. Conclusions: Multiple sclerosis patients in the UK and the USA have a two- to three-fold increased risk of new, treated depression compared to matched non-MS patients.