No abstract

No abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory chronic disease with an autoimmune pathogenesis and a complex multifactorial etiology. Various factors such as immunogenetic determinants, sex, age, and stress play an important role. The relationship between stress and RA is still unclear and undefined; however, various lines of research are developing in order to evaluate environmental, psychologic, and biologic stressors as predisposing factors. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether stress-related psychologic factors and personality disorders might be involved in the development of RA, by using a psychometric investigation-methodology in a series of patients. Fifteen in- and outpatients underwent a clinical interview and other specific psychometric tests. Macro- and microstressful life-events preceded RA onset in 86% of the cases. Sixty percent of the patients showed a correlation between flare-ups of the disease and appearance of microevents. Forty percent of the patients showed an obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), 40% showed a borderline personality disorder (BPD), 7% showed a schizoid and a dependent disorder. Only 13% of the patients showed no personality disorders. Among the BPD group we also detected alexithymia. Our results should be considered as preliminary; on the other hand, the high prevalence of major life-events preceding the onset of RA and the presence of personality disorders support the role of the altered stress response system as an important pathogenetic factor and will be a matter of further studies.

Various factors such as immunogenetic determinants, sex, age and stress paly an important role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The relationship between stress and RA is still unclear and undefined; however, various lines of research are developing in order to evaluate environmental, psychologic, and biologic stressors as predisposing factors. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether stress-related psychologic factors and personality disorders might be involved in the development of RA, by using a psychometric investigation-methodology in a series of patients. Twenty-three patients underwent a clinical inteview and other specific psychometric tests. Macro and microstressful life-events preceded RA in 83% of the cases. Sixty percent of the patients showed a correlation between flare-ups of the disease and appearance of microevents. An obsessive-compulsive personality was found in 26% of the patients. Anxia was detected in 40% of the patients. Among the group of patients with borderline disorder’s was also detected alexithymia. The high prevalence of major life-events preceding the onset of RA and the presence of personality disorders support the role of the altered stress response system as an importunat pathogenetic factor in the disease

Respondents were affected mainly by system-related barriers, whereas personal barriers were given less weight. The influence of industry-mediated information could have affected opinions on SGAs and the lack of uncertainty about antipsychotics attitudes towards trial participation.