[Psychotraumatic factors and anxiety-depressive spectrum disorders in Behcet's disease: the interdisciplinary study]

To determine the frequency and variants of anxiety-depressive spectrum disorders (ADSD) in Behcet's disease (BD) and the effects of psychotraumatic factors, personality and clinical symptoms of the rheumatic disease.

Authors examined 60 patients with confirmed BD diagnosis made according to ISGBD criteria. The degree of BD activity was assessed using BDCAF index. The disease severity was ranged according to Ch. Zouboulis classification. All patients underwent complex rheumatologic, psychopathologic and psychological examinations. Childhood psychological trauma and stress factors before BD were analyzed.

Most of the patients (86.7%) were diagnosed with a wide spectrum of ICD-10 ADSD: dysthymia (33.3%), recurrent depressive disorders (28.3%) mild or moderate depressive episode (11.7%), generalized anxiety disorder (6.7%), adjustment disorder with anxiety-depressive syndrome (6.7%). Mental disorders were not identified only in 13.3% of patients. The frequency of cognitive impairment (CI) was 88.3%, including 42.7% with mild CI. BD activity, ADSD severity and as well as factors not-related to disease contributed to CI development and severity. Psychological trauma during childhood and adolescence were found in 35 (58.3%) of patients. BD with early onset was recorded more often in the group with psychological trauma at the age <7 years compared to the group without psychological trauma. Treatment adherence was noted in most patients (70%) with BD and ADSD.

The results confirm the need of timely diagnosis and adequate treatment of ADSD in patients with BD to improve treatment adherence and prognosis of disease.