Comparison of Allergic Diseases in terms of Anxiety, Depression and Quality of Life

Abstract

Studies have shown the frequency of anxiety and depression and decreased quality of life (QoL) in patients with allergic diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate anxiety and depression symptoms and QoL in patients with asthma, allergic rhinitis (AR), urticaria/angioedema (U/A) and drug allergy without any psychiatric diagnosis and to compare these four diseases in these respects. In this cross-sectional study demographic and clinical characteristics were collected from patients’records. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Short Form 36 (SF-36) were used to assess anxiety and depression symptoms and QoL. A total of 159 patients were included in the study and grouped as asthma (n=43, 27.1%), AR (n=45, 28.3%), U/A (n=44, 27.7%) and drug allergy (n=27, 17%). There was a significant difference in HADS anxiety score and SF-36 physical functioning subscore (p<0.001 and p=0.001, respectively). HADS anxiety score was higher in the U/A group and SF-36 physical functioning was lower in asthma group. Among asthmatics, SF-36 subscores of physical role functioning, emotional role functioning, social role functioning were lower in the patients at step 4 and 5 (n=22, 51.2%) than in those at step 2 and 3 (n=21, 48.8%) (p=0.001, p=0.031 and p=0.005, recpectively). In the U/A group, there was a positive moderate correlation between the urticaria activity score 7 and the HADS anxiety score (r:0.579, p<0.001). Our study showed that U/A patients had more anxiety symptoms comparing to other allergic diseases. Disease activity and severity had a significant relationship with anxiety level in U/A patients and with QoL in asthmatics.