Pattern and features of mental changes in dermatological and gastroenterological patients

Objective. To conduct a comparative analysis of mental disorders in dermatological and gastroenterological patients.

Materials and methods. The study involved 84 persons who formed two groups: group I included 42 patients with dermatoses without concomitant diseases of internal organs; group II consisted of 42 gastroenterological patients without a history of skin pathology. The groups were comparable by age, gender and social status; all were residents of Perm. The examination, in addition to general clinical and standard laboratory techniques, included a psychological study using special scales to determine personal characteristics, cognitive functions, and emotional disorders. Methods of parametric and nonparametric statistics were used to account for and analyze the results.

Results. Mental changes were found in the majority of dermatological and gastroenterological patients, mainly emotional disorders were observed. According to the indications of the hospital anxiety and depression scale HADS, Hamilton scale, Tsung self-assessment scale, anxiety was more often detected in dermatological patients, and depression – in gastroenterological patients.

Conclusions. The majority of dermatological and gastroenterological patients have mental disorders, which are characterized by disorders of the emotional sphere. A significant difference was revealed in the structure of emotional disorders in dermatological and gastroenterological patients: anxiety was mainly determined in dermatological patients, and depressive symptoms prevailed in gastroenterological patients. The data obtained will help to use a comprehensive approach to the treatment of comorbid mental disorders, which will improve the quality of medical care.