Anxiety and depression in patients with chronic urticaria and generalized pruritus

Abstract

Thirty-four dermatology out-patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria and 34 with idiopathic generalized pruritus were investigated using standardized self-assessment psychological questionnaires to determine the incidence of significant symptoms of depression and anxiety. These patients were compared with age- and sex-matched but otherwise unselected general dermatology out-patients. Using the Beck depression inventory, significantly more patients with generalized pruritus (32.4%) had depressive symptomatology (score greater than 14) than controls (13.2%, P less than 0.05). Although more patients with chronic urticaria had depressive symptomatology (14.7%) than controls (4.4%), the difference was not statistically significant. Using the Speilberger state-trait anxiety inventory there were no significant differences between the patients with pruritus or urticaria and their controls with respect to state or trait anxiety scores above the upper 90% probability limit for the general population. Thus, significant depression may be expected in a substantial proportion of patients with idiopathic generalized pruritus but in a relatively small proportion of those with chronic urticaria.

Observations during Itch-Inducing Lecture

“…Despite of numerous studies, itching can only be assessed subjectively; the fact remains that it is still defined according to Haffenreffer [7] who described it as an uncomfortable sensaDermatol Psychosom 2000;1(suppl 1): [15][16][17][18] Observations during an Itch-Inducing Lecture 17 …”

“…Intensification of experimentally induced itch under stress conditions was observed by Fjellner and Arnetz [5] in 10 volunteers. Sheedan-Dare et al [16] demonstrated an association between generalized itch and depression and anxiety by means of a test psychological examination of 34 patients. Similar results in patients with psoriasis were obtained by Gupta et al [6].…”

TRPV1 Mediates Histamine-Induced Itching via the Activation of Phospholipase A2and 12-Lipoxygenase

“…Itching is stressful and reduces the quality of life when excessive or chronic. People with chronic pruritus cannot lead a normal life because of the psychological disturbances associated with depression or sleep deprivation (Sheehan-Dare et al, 1990;Hashiro and Okumura, 1997). Approximately 10% of children worldwide suffer from atopic dermatitis (Flohr et al, 2004) accompanying severe pruritus.…”

The relationship of functional pruritus with anger and associated psychiatric disorders

“…Depresyon ve anksiyete gibi psikiyatrik bozukluklar ile kaşıntı ilişkisi iyi bilinmektedir 23,[25][26][27] . Depresif duygu durumu kaşıntının şiddetinin artmasına yol açabilir 28,29 . Benzer şekilde anksiyetenin artması da kaşıntının artmasına yol açabilmektedir.…”