2023-09-12 08:00:22
Worldwide, between 5 and 8% of the population suffer from an autoimmune disease, with women being much more affected than men. According to recent research carried out in the United Kingdom, more than half of patients present signs of anxiety or depression. Neuropsychiatric disorders rarely taken into account in their treatment. Explanations.
Autoimmune diseases and neuropsychiatric disorders
From auto-immune maladies associated with a dysfunction of the immune system, are found among others:
While certain symptoms are specific to each autoimmune disease, certain clinical signs are found in almost all of these diseases, particularly fatigue. What regarding troubles neuropsychiatriquesas depression or anxiety ? Researchers have recently looked into this question, focusing on systemic rheumatic autoimmune diseasessuch as rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis.
More than one in two patients suffer from anxiety-depressive disorders
Researchers assessed neurological and psychiatric symptoms in 1,853 patients with systemic rheumatic autoimmune disease. At the same time, they questioned 289 healthcare professionals providing patient care (rheumatologists, psychiatrists, neurologists) and carried out 113 interviews with doctors and patients. In total, they searched for around thirty neuropsychiatric disorders, including fatigue, hallucinations, anxiety, depression or even suicidal behavior.
The study results revealed that 55% of patients suffered from depression, 57% from anxiety, 89% from severe fatigue and 70% from cognitive dysfunction. The prevalence of neuropsychiatric disorders appears to be significantly higher than that observed in a cohort of healthy volunteers. If neuropsychiatric disorders affect more than one in two patients, have health professionals diagnosed them? The study reveals that patients talk little or not regarding these types of symptoms with their doctors. When they talk regarding it, they feel little listened to, and their symptoms little taken into account.
Mental health, an important aspect of patient care
At the same time, doctors rarely or not ask their patients regarding possible neuropsychiatric disorders. The health professionals who participated in the study were surprised by the data obtained. Furthermore, it seems that neuropsychiatric disorders are not perceived in the same way by doctors from different specialties. Communication within the multidisciplinary team is therefore essential to ensure the proper transmission of information between health professionals.
The authors of the study conclude that it is essential for health professionals monitoring patients suffering from systemic rheumatic autoimmune diseases to take into account mental health and neuropsychiatric disorders. It is necessary to ask questions on this point regularly during follow-up consultations. Neuropsychiatric disorders, unidentified, undiagnosed and untreated, can alter the mental health of patients and ultimately the management of the autoimmune disease and the patient’s state of health. The mental health component must be part of the patient’s overall care!
Estelle B., Doctor of Pharmacy
Sources
– Prevalence and identification of neuropsychiatric symptoms in systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases academic.oup.com. Consulté le 20 août 2023
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