title: Independent associations of alexithymia and social support with depression in hemodialysis patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The influences of alexithymia and social support on depression among chronically ill patients were examined prospectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population was 230 outpatients receiving chronic hemodialysis (HD) therapy. The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and two subscales of the Social Support Questionnaire were given to the subjects. The BDI-II was readministered after a 6-month interval, and subjects who showed deterioration in their depression score above the level predicted from their baseline score were identified. Multivariate logistic analysis adjusted for age, gender, cause of dialysis, and psychosocial variables were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Baseline depression was significantly and independently associated with alexithymia and low satisfaction with available support. Deterioration of depression after 6 months was predicted by alexithymia and poor available support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alexithymia and reduced social support might have independent associations with the presence and the prognosis of depression among HD patients.
authors: Department of Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Science, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. masayok@med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp
authors: Masayo
authors: M
authors: Kojima
authors: Junichiro
authors: J
authors: Hayano
authors: Shinkan
authors: S
authors: Tokudome
authors: Sadao
authors: S
authors: Suzuki
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Ibuki
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Tomizawa
authors: Atsuro
authors: A
authors: Nakata
authors: Hachiro
authors: H
authors: Seno
authors: Takanobu
authors: T
authors: Toriyama
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Kawahara
authors: Toshiaki A
authors: TA
authors: Furukawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires