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. 2016 Sep;209(3):216-21.
doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.115.171975. Epub 2016 Jul 7.

Increased mortality among people with anxiety disorders: total population study

Sandra M Meier  1 , Manuel Mattheisen  2 , Ole Mors  2 , Preben B Mortensen  2 , Thomas M Laursen  2 , Brenda W Penninx  2
Affiliations

Increased mortality among people with anxiety disorders: total population study

Sandra M Meier et al. Br J Psychiatry. 2016 Sep.

Abstract

Background: Anxiety disorders and depression are the most common mental disorders worldwide and have a striking impact on global disease burden. Although depression has consistently been found to increase mortality; the role of anxiety disorders in predicting mortality risk is unclear.

Aims: To assess mortality risk in people with anxiety disorders.

Method: We used nationwide Danish register data to conduct a prospective cohort study with over 30 million person-years of follow-up.

Results: In total, 1066 (2.1%) people with anxiety disorders died during an average follow-up of 9.7 years. The risk of death by natural and unnatural causes was significantly higher among individuals with anxiety disorders (natural mortality rate ratio (MRR) = 1.39, 95% CI 1.28-1.51; unnatural MRR = 2.46, 95% CI 2.20-2.73) compared with the general population. Of those who died from unnatural causes, 16.5% had comorbid diagnoses of depression (MRR = 11.72, 95% CI 10.11-13.51).

Conclusions: Anxiety disorders significantly increased mortality risk. Comorbidity of anxiety disorders and depression played an important part in the increased mortality.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interest None.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Influence of comorbid anxiety disorders on mortality in people with and without depression (2002–2011)
(a) All causes, (b) unnatural causes, (c) natural causes, (d) accidents and (e) suicides. Mortality rate ratios were derived from multivariate analysis and adjusted for calendar year, age, maternal and paternal age, gender, place of residence at time of birth, somatic comorbidity and the interaction of age with gender. Error bars reflect 95% confidence intervals.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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