The prevalence of psychiatric symptoms in the patients with Behcet’s disease in Shiraz, Southwest of Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Behçet’s disease (BD), first explained in 1937 by the Turkish dermatologist Hulusi Behçet, is a complicated multisystem syndrome described by a triad of oral, genital, and ocular ulcers. The present study aimed to investigate existence of some psychological symptoms in the patients suffering from BD. Method: The present research was a cross-sectional one, which was conducted on a sample of 101 randomly selected patients with BD who had been followed up at Shahid Motahari Clinic, Shiraz, Southwest of Iran, from June 2011 to August 2011. All of the patients completed the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) and some demographic information, such as age and gender. All statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS statistical software (v. 17.0). Results: According to the results, 30.7% of the patients were healthy (GSI<0.7), while others (69.3%) had different levels of symptoms (GSI>0.7). In psychiatric symptoms’ subscales, somatization (91.7%), anxiety (78%), and depression (77.78%) were the most prevalent symptoms. On the other hand, phobia had the lowest prevalence (34.1%). Based on our findings, the females’ average anxiety score was significantly higher than that of the male subjects (p= 0.013). Conclusion: The prevalence of psychological symptoms was remarkable in the patients with BD. Therefore, physicians should monitor their patients in order to detect the possible psychiatric disorders they might develop during their disease.

Keywords

• Behcet, psychiatric symptom, prevalence, SCL90-R

İran’ın güneybatısı, Shiraz’daki Behçet hastalarında psikiyatrik belirti sıklığı

Öz

Giriş: Behçet hastalığı (BH), ilk olarak 1937 yılında bir Türk Dermatoloğu olan Hulusi Behçet tarafından oral, genital ve oküler ülser üçlüsü ile tanımlanan karmaşık bir çoklu sistem sendromudur. Bu çalışmada BH’den muzdarip hastalarda bazı psikolojik belirtilerin varlığını araştırmayı amaçladık. Yöntem: Bu araştırma Haziran 2011-Ağustos 2011 tarihleri arasında İran’ın güneybatısında yer alan Shiraz Shahid Motahari Kliniği’nde takip edilen hastalararın arasından rastgele seçilmiş 101 BH hastasından oluşan bir örneklem üzerinde yapılan kesitsel bir çalışma idi. Tüm hastalar Belirti Tarama Listesi-90-Gözden Geçirilmiş (Symptom Checklist, SCL-90-R) ve yaş ve cinsiyet gibi bazı demografik bilgilerin yer aldığı formları tamamladı. Tüm istatistiksel analizler SPSS istatistik programı (v 17.0) kullanılarak yapıldı. Bulgular: Sonuçlara göre hastaların %30.7’si (GSI<0.7) sağlıklı iken diğerlerinin (%69.3) çeşitli seviyede belirtileri (GSI<0.7) mevcuttu. Psikiyatrik belirti alt ölçeklerinden somatizasyon (91.7%), anksiyete (78%) ve depresyon (77.78%) en sık belirtilerdi. Diğer yandan en nadir olan belirti ise korku (34.1%) idi. Çalışmamızın bulgularına göre kadın hastaların ortalama anksiyete sonuçları erkeklere göre anlamlı derecede yüksekti (p= 0.013). Sonuç: Psikolojik belirtilerinin sıklığı BH hastalarında dikkat çekiciydi. Bu nedenle hekimler, hastalarının hastalıkları sırasında gelişebilecek olası psikiyatrik bozuklukları saptayabilmek için onları takip etmelidirler.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Behçet, psikiyatrik belirti, sıklık, SCL-90-R

Kaynakça

1. Behçet H. Über die rezidivierende Aphtöse durch ein Virus verursachte Geschwüre am Auge und an den Genitalien. Dermatol Wochenschr. 1937;105:1152-7.
2. Berlin C. Behçet’s syndrome with involvement of the central nervous system. Arch Dermatol Syphilol. 1944;49:227-33.
3. Tursen U GA, Boyvat A. Evaluation of clinical findings according to sex in 2313 Turkish patients with Behçet’s disease. Int J Dermatol. 2003;42:346-51.
4. Epstein RS CN, Sherwood EB, Bergsma DR. Psychiatric aspects of Behcet’s syndrome. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 1970;14:161-72.
5. Tanriverdi N T Ý, Dürü Ç, Özdal P, Ortaç S, Firat E. Health-related quality of life in Behçet patients with ocular involvement. Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2003;47:85-92.
6. Borson S. Behçet’s disease as a psychiatric disorder,Acase report. Am J Psychiatry. 1982;139:1348-9.
7. Monastero R CC, Pipia C,Lopez G, Camarda L, Baiamonte V, Triolo G, Camarda R. Cognitive impairment in Behcet’s disease patients without overt neurological involvement. J Neurol Sci. 2004;220:99
8. Taner E CB, Burhanoflu S, Calikoflu E, Onder M, Arikan Z. Depression and anxiety in patients with Behçet’s disease compared with that in patients with psoriasis. Int J Dermatol. 2007;46:1118-24.

9. Uhl V RV, Fromm J B Psychiatric symptoms in Behcet’s syndrome. Psychosomatics: Journal of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry. 1985;26:547-9.
10. Ghaffari nejad A PF, Vahdati M. Mental disorders in girls younger than 15 years staying in supporting centers of Kerman in 2001. Rafsanjan University of medical science Journal. 2003;2:88-93.
11. Bagheri Yazdi SA BJ, Shah Mohammadi D. Epidemiology of mental disorders in sub rural areas of Meybod in Yazd state. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology. 1992;1:32-42.
12. Noorbala A.A AM, Shalbafan A.R Psychological Dimensions in Patients admitted in Imam Khomeini General Hospital in Tehran. Iran J Psychiatry. 2010;5:51-4.
13. Shirmohammadi M AM, Taghizadeh Z, Haghanni H. Premenstrual Syndrome and Psychiatric Comorbidities. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology. 2009;4:62-6.
14. Evereklioglu C CY, Doganay S et al. Audio-vestibular evaluation in patients with Behçet’s disease. J Laryngol Otol. 2002;115:704-8.
15. Balbin EG IG, Solomon GF Stress and coping: the psychoneuroimmunology of HIV/AIDS. Baillieres Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1999;13:615-33.
16. Lipowski Z J. Somatization: The concept and its clinical application. The American Journal Of Psychiatry. 1988;145:1358-68.
17. Blackford S FA, Roberts DL Quality of life in Behçet’s syndrome:335 patients surveyed. Br J Dermatol. 1997;136:287-99.
18. R Karlidag SU, C Evereklioglu,B Sipahi,H Er,S Yologlu Stressful life events, anxiety, depression and coping mechanisms in patients with Behçet’s disease. European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 2003;17:670-5.
19. Nejati safa AA BH, Sharifi Ale-Agha M, Rasooli F, Soroush AR, Amini H. []. 2009; 4:41-43. Recognition of Depression and Anxiety by Non-Psychiatric Residents in a General Hospital. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology. 2009;4:41-3.