title: Mental health in patients with pemphigus: an issue to worth consideration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There exists a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders in dermatological patients. Although, investigators have evaluated psychiatric aspects of the patients suffering from skin diseases; there are rare studies concerning mental health in pemphigus patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate mental health status and quality of life of newly diagnosed pemphigus patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between April 2007 and June 2008, all newly diagnosed pemphigus patients attending the outpatient clinic of a dermatological hospital were given a questionnaire comprising the GHQ-28 and DLQI to fill out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 283 patients, 212 complete forms were returned. The bimodal score of GHQ ranged from 0 to 26 (Mean = 9.4) and the Likert score of GHQ ranged from 6 to 68 (Mean = 31.9). The DLQI score ranged between 0 and 30 (Mean of 13.8). A total of 157 patients (73.7%) were yielded to be possible cases of mental disorder considering GHQ-28 bimodal scores. Significant correlation was detected between the DLQI score and bimodal and Likert scoring of GHQ-28.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study has depicted high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity in pemphigus patients. It underlines the fact that physicians, who are in-charge of care for these patients, are in an exceptional position to distinguish the psychiatric comorbidity and to take appropriate measures.
authors: Psychiatry and Psychology Research Centre, Roozbeh Psychiatry Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Mohammad
authors: M
authors: Arbabi
authors: Zahra
authors: Z
authors: Ghodsi
authors: Abolfazl
authors: A
authors: Mahdanian
authors: Naser
authors: N
authors: Noormohammadi
authors: Keivan
authors: K
authors: Shalileh
authors: Fateme
authors: F
authors: Darvish
authors: Narges
authors: N
authors: Ashrafinia
authors: Cheida
authors: C
authors: Chams