OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive value of baseline depression/anxiety on 
the likelihood of achieving joint remission in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 
psoriatic arthritis (PsA) as well as the associations between baseline 
depression/anxiety and the components of the remission criteria at follow-up.
METHODS: We included 1326 patients with RA and 728 patients with PsA from the 
prospective observational NOR-DMARD study starting first-time tumour necrosis 
factor inhibitors or methotrexate. The predictive value of depression/anxiety on 
remission was explored in prespecified logistic regression models and the 
associations between baseline depression/anxiety and the components of the 
remission criteria in prespecified multiple linear regression models.
RESULTS: Baseline depression/anxiety according to EuroQoL-5D-3L, Short Form-36 
(SF-36) Mental Health subscale ≤56 and SF-36 Mental Component Summary 
≤38 negatively predicted 28-joint Disease Activity Score <2.6, Simplified 
Disease Activity Index ≤3.3, Clinical Disease Activity Index ≤2.8, ACR/EULAR 
Boolean and Disease Activity Index for Psoriatic Arthritis ≤4 remission after 3 
and 6 months treatment in RA (p≤0.008) and partly in PsA (p from 0.001 to 0.73). 
Baseline depression/anxiety was associated with increased patient's and 
evaluator's global assessment, tender joint count and joint pain in RA at 
follow-up, but not with swollen joint count and acute phase reactants.
CONCLUSION: Depression and anxiety may reduce likelihood of joint remission 
based on composite scores in RA and PsA and should be taken into account in 
individual patients when making a shared decision on a treatment target.