Kvaliteta života i psihijatrijski komorbiditet u dermatoveneroloških bolesnika

Abstract

Skin diseases are mostly chronic and lifelong with recurrences. The special thing about skin diseases is their psychosocial burden. Pruritus and in fewer instances pain are common physical symptoms of skin diseases. All of these facts influence patient's life, social network and psychological status. Objectives: This study assessed different dimensions of quality of life and psychiatric comorbidities: depression and anxiety were evaluated among patients with dermtovenereological diseases. Methods: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University Center Hospital „Sestre milosrdnice“, in Zagreb, where the study was conducted. Two hundred and ninety female and male patients suffering from different dermatoses and venereological diseases participated in the study. All participants were treated in an inpatient and outpatient treatment at the Department of Dermatovenereology. Participants were divided into three groups. The first group of patients were those with symptomatic dermatoses like psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and venous ulcer. The second group were asymptomatic dermatoses like vitiligo, alopecia and acne. The third group involved venereological patients with diagnoses of anogenital warts, genital Herpes simplex infection and Balanopostitis. Consenting participants completed the following standardized psychological questionnaires: Dermatology Specific Quality of Life Index, Beck's Index of Depression and State and Trait Anxiety Inventory. Results: Participants with symptomatic skin diseases had the highest influence of the disease on their quality of life. There was a statistically significant difference between different dimensions of quality of life, except for the psychological dimension. Depression and anxiety symptoms were mild but 4,1 % of the participants had high depression scores and 13-15 % had very high anxiety scores. Different dimensions of quality of life were in correlation with the intensity of the disease, with the exception of the psychological dimension. Patients with high intensity of the skin lesions were more depressed, but patients with always exposed lesions were more anxious as a state and trait. Conclusion: Patients with pruritic and painful dermatoses have the highest influence of skin disease on their quality of life. The Psycholgical aspect of quality of life is probably mostly affected by the patient's personality traits, and not by a skin or venereological disease in itself. Localisation and intensity of the dermatovenereological disease influence symptoms of depression and anxiety