Association of help-seeking behavior with depression and anxiety disorders among gastroenterological patients in Saudi Arabia

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Myasthenia Gravis: A Cross-Sectional Study of Two Tertiary Hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Objectives

This study is aimed at elucidating the prevalence of depression in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) and examining the risk factors associated with depression.

Methods

We evaluated adult patients with MG who were recruited from two tertiary hospitals in the central region (Riyadh) of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected with a two-part standardized questionnaire: the first part included data on sociodemographic and clinical features of MG including disease type and duration, therapies, prednisolone dose, time of the last relapse, previous critical care unit admissions, MG status (controlled, partially controlled, or uncontrolled), and comorbid diseases; the second part included items from the previously validated Arabic version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9).

Results

In total, 104/150 (69.3%) patients participated (72 females) with a mean age of 38.0 ± 16.0 years. The mean PHQ-9 score was 7.02 ± 6.1. Among all the participants, 27 (26.0%) patients had depression (PHQ-9 ≥ 10). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that uncontrolled MG status (OR = 12.31, 95%CI = 1.13-133.8, P = 0.04) was the only factor independently associated with depression. Collectively, the prevalence of depression among patients of the primary care clinics (PCC) as reported by 5 previous studies across multiple regions of the country was 15.8%. The odds of depression among MG patients were twofold higher than those among PCC patients (OR = 2.05, 95%CI = 1.30-3.22, P = 0.002).

Conclusions

Approximately a quarter of MG patients have depression. Achieving a minimal manifestation or better MG status may decrease the depression rate in these patients.

Caring for the Patient with an Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent and disabling psychiatric disorders. Patients and their families have a plethora of evidence-based treatment options to manage these potentially incapacitating and costly disorders. Nurses in various settings can assess symptoms of anxiety disorder and initiate or refer patients for treatment. Families play a critical role in treatment planning and must be part of the health care team. Primary nursing interventions must be person centered and recovery based to ensure accurate diagnosis, initiation of appropriate person-centered treatment, and facilitate an optimal level of functioning and quality of life.

The Relationship between Psychosocial Factors and Cognition in Multiple Sclerosis

INTRODUCTION

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common disorder in some regions of the world, with over 2.3 million people diagnosed worldwide. Cognitive impairment is one of the earliest symptoms to present in the course of the disease and can cause significant morbidity. We proposed a study to explore the psychosocial predictors of cognitive impairment in MS patients in Saudi Arabia, a previously unexplored patient population.

METHODS

Demographic data, depression scale (PHQ9), symptom burden (PHQ15), anxiety (GAD7), disease duration, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) scores were collected from 195 patients in a neurology clinic in Ryiadh, Saudi Arabia. Univariate and multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify variables that are significantly associated with cognitive impairment.

RESULTS

Variables that were identified to be significantly associated with cognition, p < 0.05, were education level, disease duration, and family history.

DISCUSSION

Both education level and disease duration were variables identified in previous studies. We showed family history to be a significant variable, and no association was found with depression or anxiety, which is unique to our study population.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified several psychosocial predictors that are associated with cognition in our patient population. It was also noted that a difference exists between patient populations, highlighting the need for further studies in specific geographical regions.

Psychiatric disorders among infertile men and women attending three infertility clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

No study has assessed psychiatric disorders among infertile men and women seeking fertility treatment in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, we sought to measure the rate of psychiatric disorders in this population.

DESIGN AND SETTING

This was a cross-sectional observational study among patients attending infertility clinics at three referral hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between January 2013 and September 2014.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

406 patients (206 women and 200 men) participated in the study. The approved Arabic version of the MINI tool was used to assess 18 common psychiatric illnesses.

RESULTS

The response rate was 81%. Of the men surveyed, only 4.5% self-reported having a psychiatric disorder. Of the women surveyed, only 10.2% reported having a psychiatric disorder. However, using the MINI scale, psychiatric illness was documented in 30% of males and 36.9% of females. The most common diagnoses for both genders were depression (21.7%) and anxiety (21.2%). Significantly more females than males exhibited suicidality and depression. In contrast, significantly more males than females had bipolar disorders and substance-related disorders. A low monthly income among male and female participants and polygamy among female participants were significantly associated with psychiatric disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that a higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders, particularly depression and anxiety, among infertile men and women in Saudi Arabia is associated with lower income and polygamy. This study highlights the importance of integrated care for alleviating the psychological burden of this unfortunate population and improving outcomes and quality of life. This study also encourages follow-up studies that aim to further understand the complex relationship between fertility and psychological well-being.

Anti-Anxiety Effect of Schisandra chinensis Baill Lignans on Mice in Elevated Plus Maze Test

Elevated plus maze was used to establish an animal anxiety model to investigate the anti-anxiety effect of Schisandra Chinensis (Turcz.) Baill lignans (SCL). OE, OT, CE and CT were observed, and based on them, the ratio of OE (OE%) and the ratio of OT (OT%) were calculated, respectively. It was considered that the fewer the OE was and the shorter the OT was, the more serious the anxiety of mice was. The results showed that compared with those in the control group, both OE% and OT% presented an increasing trend in the different dose SCL groups, indicating that SCL has an anti-anxiety effect; there were significant differences in the anti-anxiety effect between 70 mg/kg SCL and 140 mg/kg SCL groups, and the control group, but no difference in it between 35 mg/kg SCL group and the control group, indicating that the anti-anxiety effect of SCL may be dose-related.