همیشه نگران شرایط روحی و بروز افسردگی و اضطراب در بیماران مبتلا به طیف مزمن بیماری های ADS هستیم و مطالعات متعددی ارتباط بین بیماران MS و اختلالات روانی مانند اضطراب و افسردگی را نشان دادهاند، این مقاله رو از این جهت باهاتون به اشتراک میذارم که حرف تازه ای داره :
در این مطالعه که شامل 15 کودک مبتلا به MS و 15 کودک سالم بود، با استفاده از پرسشنامههای استاندارد ، سطح افسردگی و اضطراب اندازهگیری شد. نتایج نشان داد که بین گروه MS و گروه کنترل، در میزان افسردگی و اضطراب حالت تفاوت معناداری وجود ندارد، اگرچه (trait anxiety) در گروه MS کمی بالاتر بود. نکته مهم و قابل توجه میانگین میزان ناتوانی بیماران مولتیپل اسکلروز در این مطالعه (EDSS)پایین بود که ممکن است علت مشابه بودن علائم روانپزشکی با گروه کنترل باشد.
این نتایج بیانگر این است که در کودکان مبتلا به MS با میزان ناتوانی کم، علائم افسردگی و اضطراب تقریبا به اندازه افراد سالمه . اگرچه که قطعا ، تحقیقات بیشتر با حجم نمونه بالاتر نیازه تا ارتباط بین شدت ناتوانی و علائم روانی در بیماران MS کودکان بهتر شناخته شود.
● Sena Destan Bunul1, ● Gokce Yagmur Efendi2, ● Ayfer Sakarya Gunes3, ● Rahime Duygu Temelturk4
1Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Kocaeli, Turkey
2Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Diseases, Kocaeli, Turkey
3Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Divisions of Child Neurology, Kocaeli, Turkey
4Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Diseases, Ankara, Turkey
Abstract
Objective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease affecting both adults and children, often accompanied by various psychiatric disorders. Research on psychiatric symptoms in pediatric MS is relatively limited in comparison with adult-onset MS. To evaluate depression and anxiety levels in pediatric MS patients and compare them to healthy controls, and to assess the impact of clinical and sociodemographic variables on these levels.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 15 pediatric MS patients and 15 age and socioeconomic-matched healthy controls. Anxiety and depression levels were assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI).
Results: No significant difference was observed between the MS group and controls in terms of CDI scores, STAI state, and anxiety trait scores. Nevertheless, individuals in the MS group exhibited higher levels of trait anxiety. The average disability score among MS participants was low (0.33), potentially explaining the comparable psychiatric symptom levels with the controls. Sociodemographic data revealed a significant difference in fathers’ education levels between the groups.
Conclusion: Depression and anxiety levels in pediatric MS patients were similar to healthy controls, possibly attributed to the low disability levels in the MS group. Extensive research is crucial to understand better psychiatric comorbidities and their correlation with disability progression in pediatric MS.
Keywords: Multiple sclerosis, pediatric, psychiatric symptoms
Introduction
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune and chronic disorder that incites inflammatory damage to the myelin sheath, and while it is more prevalent among young adults, children can also be affected by MS. It is reported that between 3% and 10% of MS patients are under 16, and less than 1% of MS occurs in children younger than 10 (1). Pediatric MS patients tend to experience a broader range of symptoms at the onset of the disease, but despite the symptom variety, pediatric MS patients have a lower likelihood of developing progressive disease compared to adult MS patients (2,3). Timely diagnosis and effective management of MS in pediatric patients are critical as individuals in this age group tend to experience significant disabilities at an earlier stage of life than adults, and taking disease-modifying drugs at an early stage may help slow down the disease’s progression (4,5). Although early diagnosis is critical, pediatric MS can be difficult to differentiate from other various diseases in children, leading to an underdiagnosis or a misdiagnosis (6,7). Recently, there has been a surge in research related to pediatric MS, which has led to a greater understanding of the condition and a continued interest in this field.
Extensive studies have investigated the correlation between neurological and psychiatric disorders. It has been particularly
Address for Correspondence: Sena Destan Bunul, Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Kocaeli, Turkey
Phone: +90 532 571 23 12 E-mail: destansena@gmail.com ORCID-ID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4999-2787
Received: 14.09.2023 Accepted: 05.10.2023
©Copyright 2023 by Multiple Sclerosis Research Association. Journal of Multiple Sclerosis Research, published by Galenos Publishing House.
You can read the full text of the article in the pdf file.