ArticleQuality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation2025
Depression in patients with anorectal fistulas and anal fissures: a propensity score-matched cohort study.
Article in Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Probe-Guided Intersphincteric Lateral Internal Sphincterotomy: A Modified Approach for Chronic Anal Fissures.Diseases of the colon and rectum · 2026Article
- Incisional hernia and the risk of incident depression: a population-based propensity score-matched cohort study.Hernia : the journal of hernias and abdominal wall surgery · 2026Article
- Association between pilonidal sinus disease and depression: a population-based cohort study.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2025Article
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7 authors.
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Abstract
purposeAnal fissures and anorectal fistulas are diseases often associated with significant pain and prolonged discomfort, resulting in a significantly reduced quality of life (QoL). They are not only a surgical problem but also have a profound psychosocial impact and influence on QoL. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of depression in patients with these pathologies and to highlight the need to address the psychosocial aspects of these diseases.
methodsData from the Disease Analyzer database of approximately 3,000 general practitioners in Germany were retrospectively analyzed. The retrospective cohort study included patients aged ≥ 18 years diagnosed with anal fissure (n = 15,467) or anorectal fistula (n = 3,520) between January 2005 and December 2022 and propensity score matched individuals without these disorders (n = 94,935). The primary outcome was a diagnosis of depression within five years of the index date. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analyses were used to analyze the association between the two anorectal diseases and depression.
resultsAfter 5 years of follow-up, 13.0% of patients with anal fissure and 12.3% of patients with anorectal fistula were diagnosed with depression, compared with 9.7-10.3% in the control group (p < 0.001). Cox regression analysis showed a significant association between both diseases and depression (anal fissure: HR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.25-1.38; anorectal fistula: HR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.17-1.44).
conclusionThe results suggest that anal fissures or anorectal fistulas are significantly associated with a subsequent depression. This highlights the importance of multidisciplinary management that addresses both physical and psychosocial aspects to improve patient outcomes.
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