Study of emotional disorders in dermatological and cardiological patients

Objective. To study the character and features of emotional disorders in patients of dermatological and cardiological profile. Emotional changes, accompanying many somatic diseases, have a negative effect and aggravate their course, worsening the quality of life and functioning.

Materials and methods. 68 persons, divided into two groups, participated in a single-stage study: group I included 38 patients with dermatoses without any concomitant diseases of the internal organs; group II – 30 cardiological patients without dermatological pathology in anamnesis. Complex research included general clinical and laboratory methods as well as psychological study using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale HADS, Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, Montgomery – Asberg Depression Scale, Spielberger – Hanin Anxiety Scales. To assess the results, the methods of parametric and nonparametric statistics were used.

Results. When assessing the parameters by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale HADS, in dermatological patients clinically and subclinically expressed anxiety was manifested more evidently, and in cardiological patients, it was depression. According to the data obtained by the Zung and Hamilton scales, depression also predominated in cardiological patients but anxiety symptoms and disorders reliably more often were observed in patients of dermatological profile. As for studying depression using the Montgomery-Asberg scale, in dermatological patients it was revealed less often, in the structure of symptoms there prevailed a small depressive episode. According to Spielberger – Hanin Scale, anxiety was more expressed in dermatological patients.

Conclusions. Emotional disorders in dermatological and cardiological patients are reliably different. In dermatological patients, they are characterized by increased anxiety in case of an insignificant depressive disorder. In cardiological patients, there prevail depressive changes, especially mild depression; anxiety symptomatology is not expressed.