[Peculiarities of therapy of neurotic disorders in patients with rheumatoid arthritis]

Evaluation of neurotic disorders (ND) in 168 patients with rheumatoid arthritis revealed them in 65.6% of the cases including 22.6% weak, 31.7% moderate and 14.9% severe ones. Asthenovegetative disorders were most frequently detected (61.3%). They associated with emotional, hypochondriac, hysterical, and obsessional disorders in 24.4, 14.3, 9.5, and 4.8% of the patients respectively. ND were treated depending on their type and severity. Mild ND were managed by combined therapy including general tonics, physiotherapeutic procedures, and remedial gymnastics. Patients with moderate ND were given sedative medicines (novopassit, sedavit, glycine, peony tincture). Severe ND were managed using antidepressants and tranquilizers. Duration of therapy was 10-21 days depending on its form. The treatment eliminated all symptoms of ND in 66 (54.1%) and reduced them in 44 (36.1%) of the patients. The outcome of psychotherapy was regarded as unsatisfactory in 11.5%, satisfactory in 26.2%, and positive in 62.3% of the patients. These values in a control group of 46 patients without HD were 10.8, 37.0, and 52.2% respectively.