Depression in elderly patients from highland communities with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Objective: To determine the frequency of depression and sociodemographic characteristics of elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), living in zones of high altitude. Methods: A retrospective and descriptive study carried out in 16 patients of 60 years of age or older, inhabitants of the highlands (≥1500 meters above sea level) in the Peruvian Andes, with the diagnosis of COPD. Sociodemographic, cognitive, functional and emotional characteristics of each of the probands were assessed. Results: The average age of the sample of patients was 72.1 (SD 5.37), 62.5% of them were women, 75% came from rural areas, and 81.2% were illiterate or had only elementary education. Among the clinical features, 18.7% had arterial hypertension, 12.5% had type 2 diabetes mellitus, and 87.5% reported no tobacco consumption. According to the Yesavage test, 43.7% had depression; and 56.2% reported being frequently depressed. Conclusion: This study provides evidence of a high prevalence of depression in COPD patients living in high-altitude zones.