Prevalence of depressive disorders among patients with fibromyalgia seeking help for the first time and its relationship with alexithymia; [Fizik tedavi ve rehabilitasyon polikliniǧine ilk kez başvuran ve fibromiyalji tanisi konan hastalarda depresif bozukluklarin görülme sikliǧi ve aleksitimi ile ilişkisi]

Taşkin E.O.; Tikiz C.; Gürlek Yüksel E.; Firat A.; Tüzün Ç.; Aydemir Ö.

Prevalence of depressive disorders among patients with fibromyalgia seeking help for the first time and its relationship with alexithymia; [Fizik tedavi ve rehabilitasyon polikliniǧine ilk kez başvuran ve fibromiyalji tanisi konan hastalarda depresif bozukluklarin görülme sikliǧi ve aleksitimi ile ilişkisi]

Date

2007

Authors

Abstract

Objective: In this study, it was aimed to determine the prevalence of depression and its relationship with alexithymia among patients with fibromyalgia who apply to the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation outpatient clinic for the first time. Methods: The research included 50 patients who applied to the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation outpatient clinic for the first time and diagnosed as FM according to the American College of Rheumatology Scale. The subjects were evaluated with the SCID-I affective disorders module, 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D) and a demographic data form. Data were analyzed using t-test for continuous numerical parameters and chi-square test for categorized parameters. Pearson correlation test was used for determination of correlation between HAM-D and TAS-20 scores. Results: The prevalence of major depressive episode, depressive disorder NOS and dysthymia were found to be 44%, 10% and 14% respectively. None of the patients were seeking help for their depressive disorder and were using antidepressant treatment. TAS-20 scores of the patients with depression were higher (p=0.022) than scores of the non-depressive patients. Alexithymic patients had higher HAM-D mean values (p=0.035) and there was a positive correlation between TAS-20 and HAM-D scores (p=0.014). Conclusion: In fibromyalgia, the prevalence rate of depression is found to be significant. The prevalence rate of depression was even higher in alexithymic patients. Patients with fibromyalgia seem to have difficulty in experiencing their depression, and thus they do not seek psychiatric help. Therefore, these patients must be evaluated additionally for depression during the management of fibromyalgia.