Psychiatric comorbidity and suicidal ideation in psoriasis, melanoma and allergic disorders.
OBJECTIVE
Psychiatric disorders and suicide risk (especially in psoriasis) are frequent and disabling conditions in patients with skin diseases. The aim of this study was to examine the risk of suicide and stressful life events in a sample of patients with skin disease.


METHODS
A sample of 242 dermatological patients (142 women and 100 men), 112 of which had psoriasis, 77 had melanoma, and 53 were suffering with chronic allergic diseases. Patients were administered the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), and the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). Patients were also asked about their experiences with stressful life events.


RESULTS
Patients with psoriasis were more likely to have a history of psychiatric disorders (36.6% vs. 13.2% χ2(1)= 9.55; p = 0.002) compared to patients with allergies. Specifically, patients with psoriasis more likely had a diagnosis of a mood disorder (16.1% vs. 3.9% χ2(1)= 6.85; p = 0.009; 16.1% vs. 0% χ2(1)= 9.56; p = 0.002) and reported past suicidal ideation (33.9% vs. 15.6% χ2(1)= 7.89; p = 0.005; 33.9% vs. 18.9% χ2(1)= 3.96; p = 0.047) as compared to those with melanoma and allergy.


CONCLUSIONS
The results from this study suggest that patients affected by psoriasis have an increased risk of psychiatric comorbidities and suicidal ideation compared to those who have other dermatological disorders.
a Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs , Suicide Prevention Centre, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
Maurizio
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1886-4977
M
Pompili
b Department of Human Sciences , European University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
Marco
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1389-2290
M
Innamorati
a Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs , Suicide Prevention Centre, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
Alberto
A
Forte
a Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs , Suicide Prevention Centre, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
Denise
D
Erbuto
c Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences , Emory University School of Medicine , Atlanta , GA , USA.
Dorian A
DA
Lamis
d Dermatology Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs , Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
Alessandra
A
Narcisi
a Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs , Suicide Prevention Centre, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
Claudia
C
Rea
d Dermatology Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs , Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
Diego
D
Orsini
d Dermatology Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs , Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
Andrea
A
D'Arino
d Dermatology Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs , Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
Annalisa
A
Arcese
a Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs , Suicide Prevention Centre, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
Samantha
S
Bellini
a Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs , Suicide Prevention Centre, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
Sara
S
Trovarelli
e Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry , University of Genova , Genova, Italy.
Gianluca
G
Serafini
e Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, Section of Psychiatry , University of Genova , Genova, Italy.
Mario
M
Amore
f Dermatology Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences , Humanitas University , Rozzano-Milan , Italy.
Antonio
A
Costanzo
a Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs , Suicide Prevention Centre, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
Paolo
P
Girardi
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D055815:Young Adult
Psoriasis; anxiety; comorbidity; depression; dermatological disorders; psychiatry; suicide risk