Abstract
Background
Patients with autoimmune disorders (systemic lupus erethymatosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Psoriasis and Scleroderma) are prone to psychiatric conditions where psychosis and schizophrenia were the most common psychiatric associated with autoimmune diseases. The underlying mechanism of this association is still unknown but may be related to elevated inflammatory cytokine in autoimmune patients.
Objective: to assess the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases .
Results: the study showed that the most frequent psychiatric disorders in RA patients were panic attack 61.3%, social anxiety 54.5%, major depressive disorder 51.3%, obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD)47.6%, social troubles 44% and delusion 43.2%. While panic attacks 55.2%, Delusion 54.3%, Major depressive disorder 51.3%, OCD 50%, social anxiety 47.4% are the most common psychiatric manifestation among SLE patients. Bechet’s disease is associated with delusion 66.7%, social troubles 65.2%, major depressive disorder 65.2%, panic attacks 65.2%, OCD 60.9% and social troubles 56.5%. Panic attacks78.6%, major depressive illness 57.1%, social troubles 57.1% and GAD 50% are the commonest psychiatric manifestation among ankylosing spondylitis patients while social anxiety 75%, panic attack 62.5%, OCD 50% and major depressive disorder 50% are the commonest in primary systemic vacuities. All scleroderma patients had panic attacks 100%, major depressive disorder 75%, social anxiety 75% and OCD 75%. Other psychiatric disorders as suicidal tendency, dysthymia, hypomania and anorexia nervosa were less common in all studied groups.
Conclusion
there is a high prevalence of psychological disorders (as panic attack, social anxiety and major depressive disorder), among patients with autoimmune diseases, so frequent screening about these psychiatric disorders is recommended.