Risks of anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and sleep disorders in patients with dengue fever: A nationwide, population-based cohort study

by Hsin-I Shih, Yu-Ping Wang, Chia-Yu Chi, Yu-Wen Chien

Background

Dengue virus (DENV) infection, a common mosquito-borne disease, has been linked to several mental disorders like depression and anxiety. However, the temporal risk of these disorders after DENV infection is not well studied.

Methods

This population-based cohort study encompassed 45,334 recently lab-confirmed dengue patients in Taiwan spanning 2002 to 2015, matched at a 1:5 ratio with non-dengue individuals based on age, gender, and residence (n = 226,670). Employing subdistribution hazard regression analysis, we assessed the immediate (<3 months), intermediate (3–12 months), and prolonged (>12 months) risks of anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and sleep disorders post DENV infection. Corrections for multiple comparisons were carried out using the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure.

Results

A significant increase in depressive disorder risk across all timeframes post-infection was observed (<3 months [aSHR 1.90, 95% CI 1.20–2.99], 3–12 months [aSHR 1.68, 95% CI 1.32–2.14], and >12 months [aSHR 1.14, 95% CI 1.03–1.25]). Sleep disorder risk was higher only during 3–12 months (aSHR 1.55, 95% CI 1.18–2.04). No elevated anxiety disorder risk was found. Subgroup analysis of hospitalized dengue patients showed increased risk of anxiety disorders within 3 months (aSHR 2.14, 95% CI 1.19–3.85) and persistent risk of depressive disorders across all periods. Hospitalized dengue patients also had elevated sleep disorder risk within the first year.

Conclusion

Dengue patients exhibited significantly elevated risks of depressive disorders in both the short and long term. However, dengue’s impact on sleep disorders and anxiety seems to be short-lived. Further research is essential to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.