People living with Behçet’s disease, a chronic multisystemic vasculitis marked by significant physical and psychological morbidity, carry a heavy mental health burden, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in Advances in Rheumatology. Pooling data from studies worldwide, the analysis estimated that 47.44% of patients with Behçet’s disease experience depression (95% CI: 34.09–60.97%) and 48.48% experience anxiety (95% CI: 35.40–61.67%).
The review followed PRISMA guidelines and searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus up to April 2025. Of 17 studies included in the systematic review, 16 contributed to the depression meta-analysis and 11 to the anxiety meta-analysis. Pooled prevalence rates were calculated using random-effects meta-analysis, and study quality was assessed with standardized tools. Both estimates showed substantial heterogeneity, with I² values exceeding 90%, meaning the individual studies varied widely in their reported prevalence.
Part of that variation appears to be methodological. Depression prevalence differed significantly depending on the diagnostic instrument used: screening tools such as the PHQ-9 and HADS reported higher rates than structured diagnostic approaches based on DSM-IV criteria or the MINI interview. This suggests that instrument choice materially shapes how the psychological burden of the disease is measured, and that estimates based on screening questionnaires should not be equated directly with formal diagnoses.
Geographic differences were also marked. Egypt showed the highest prevalence for both conditions, at 88.83% for depression and 92.00% for anxiety, while France reported the lowest depression prevalence at 5.00% and Brazil the lowest anxiety prevalence at 29.31%. The authors note that such disparities suggest cultural, healthcare, or socioeconomic moderators that require further investigation; because these are cross-study contrasts rather than controlled comparisons, the reasons behind them remain unresolved.
No publication bias was detected in the analyses. The authors conclude that the findings underscore an unmet psychiatric need in this population and advocate for integrating routine mental health screening into the management of Behçet’s disease. As with any meta-analysis of heterogeneous observational studies, the pooled figures represent broad estimates across diverse settings and assessment methods rather than a single precise prevalence, and the identified moderators remain hypotheses for future research.
Subject of Research: Prevalence of depression and anxiety among patients with Behçet's disease
Article Title: Prevalence of depression and anxiety among patients with Behçet’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Article References: Mehrpoor, G., Amini, M. J., Shafiee, A., Salehi, S. A., Samiee, R., & Azarinoush, G. (2026). Prevalence of depression and anxiety among patients with Behçet’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Advances in Rheumatology. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42358-026-00591-7
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1186/s42358-026-00591-7
Keywords: Behçet's disease, depression, anxiety, systematic review, meta-analysis, prevalence, mental health screening, PHQ-9, HADS, geographic disparities, patients, disease
News Source: Glenn Wilkins. (October 29, 2026). Nearly Half of Patients with Behçet’s Disease Report Depression or Anxiety. Scienmag.
