Alexithymia, Anxiety and Depression in Patients with Idiopathic Generalized Pruritus

Abstract

Objectives: Idiopathic generalized pruritus (IGP) is a condition characterized by persistent and generalized pruritus without clinical evidence of inflammation or skin diseases in seemingly healthy skin. Our knowledge about IGP is insufficient as relatively little research has been carried out on this disease. We aimed to assess the prevalence of alexithymia and its association with anxiety and depression in patients with IGP compared with control subjects.
Materials and Methods: The study sample was formed by 35 patients with IGP and 40 control subjects. All the participants were interviewed by using a semi-structured socio-demographic form and all the modules of Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I). Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were applied to the participants.
Results: Patients with IGP had significantly higher TAS-20 score compared with controls. There was no difference between two groups in terms of BDI and BAI scores. BDI score was positive correlated with TAS-20 and DIF (difficulty in identifying feelings) scores, while BAI score was positive correlated with TAS-20, DIF, DDF (difficulty in describing feelings) and EOT (externally oriented thinking) as well.
Conclusion: The alexithymia prevalence was higher in patients with IGP than that in control subjects, while it was positively correlated with anxiety and depression scores in IGP group. Although larger studies are required, alexithymia and its relationship with depression and anxiety should be taken into consideration while evaluating the patients with IGP.

Keywords

• Alexithymia,anxiety,depression,pruritis

İdiyopatik Jeneralize Pruritus Hastalarında Aleksitimi, Anksiyete ve Depresyon

Öz

Amaç: İdiopatik jeneralize pruritus (IGP), sağlıklı görünen ciltte klinik olarak inflamasyon veya cilt hastalığı olmaksızın persistan ve jeneralize kaşıntı ile karakterize bir durumdur. IGP hakkında nispeten az sayıda araştırma yapıldığından hakkındaki bilgimiz yetersizdir. Bu çalışmada IGP tanılı hastalarda kontrol grubu ile karşılaştırılarak aleksitiminin yaygınlığını ve anksiyete ve depresyonla ilişkisini değerlendirmeyi amaçladık
Materyal ve Metot: Çalışmaya 35 IGP tanılı hasta ile 40 sağlıklı kontrol dahil edildi. Tüm katılımcılar DSM-IV’e göre yapılandırılmış klinik görüşme (SCID-I) ve yarı-yapılandırılmış sosyodemografik form kullanılarak değerlendirildi. Katılımcıların Toronto Aleksitimi Ölçeği (TAS-20), Beck Depresyon Ölçeği (BDI) ve Beck Anksiyete Ölçeği (BAI) doldurmaları sağlandı.
Bulgular: IGP tanılı hastalarda kontrol grubuna göre anlamlı olarak yüksek TAS-20 skoru olduğu bulundu. Gruplar arasında BDI ve BAI skorları yönünden fark yoktu. BDI skoru ile TAS-20 ve DIF (duyguları tanıma zorluğu) arasında pozitif korelasyon gözlendi. BAI skoru ile TAS-20, DIF, DDF (duyguları ifade zorluğu) ve EOT (dışa-dönük düşünce) arasında pozitif korelasyon saptandı.
Sonuç: IGP tanılı hastalarda aleksitiminin prevalansı kontrol grubunda yüksektir ve anksiyete ve depresyonla arasında pozitif korelasyon mevcuttur. Her ne kadar daha kapsamlı çalışmalara ihtiyaç varsa da, IGP tanılı hastalar değerlendirilirken aleksitimi ve aleksitiminin depresyon ve anksiyete ile ilişkisi göz önünde bulundurulmalıdır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Aleksitimi,anksiyete,depresyon,pruritus

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