AFFECTIVE DISORDERS IN MYASTHENIA

Abstract

Objective: to study of the emotional features in patients with myasthenia.Patients and methods. 52 myasthenic patients (11 men and 41 women; mean age, 50.5±13.8 years) were examined. The investigators determined the level of situational and personal anxiety (SA and PA) by the Spielberger-Hanin questionnaire and that of depression by the Zung scale. They clarified the association of these indicators with gender, age, myasthenia duration and severity by the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) scale, and with the presence of crises.Results and discussion. The patients with myasthenia showed a higher level of SA than those with depression. There was an increase in the indicators depending on age and disease duration and severity according to the MGFA scale, and on the group of disability. A number of patients who were critically ill and had high MGFA scores were noted to have low PA levels, which may contribute to the decreased level of protective psychological mechanisms.Conclusion. Most myasthenic patients have high levels of anxiety. In these patients, the absence of depression or the presence of its mild form and the prevalence of anxiety determine the choice of therapy with a preference being given to psychotherapy.

Keywords

• myasthenia
• affective disorders
• anxiety
• depression