Anxiety and depression in patients with chronic urticaria and generalized pruritus.
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.
Sheehan-Dare
R A
RA
Department of Dermatology, General Infirmary, Leeds, U.K.
Henderson
M J
MJ
Cotterill
J A
JA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011537:Pruritus / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D014581:Urticaria / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*