Anxiety disorders throughout life span

Anxiety disorders induce a lot of misery and suffering for the patients throughout life span. The aim of the present study was to investigate the common types and different presentation of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents, adults and old patients. This study included 3 groups of patients with anxiety disorders: 63 children and adolescents, 131 adults and 72 elders with anxiety disorders collected from psychiatric clinic in Al-A hsa hospital, Al-A hsa city, KSA from January 2012 to June 2012. Anxiety disorders were diagnosed clinically and confirmed by application of Beck Anxiety Inventory [BAI] for children, adolescents and adults and Geriatric Anxiety Inventory [GAI] for elders. Types and presentations of different anxiety disorders were compared in the 3 groups. Panic disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] were much more common among adults [39 [29.8%,] and 34 [25.9%] respectively] than either among children and adolescents [2 [3.2%] and 5 [7.9%] respectively] or elders [2 [2.81%] and 9 [12.5116] respectively], Specific phobia, Social anxiety disorder and Separation anxiety disorder were more frequent in children and adolescents [11 17.5%,], 9 [14.3%] and 19 [30.2%] respectively] than either in adults [11 [8.4%]10 [7.6%] and 4 [3.1%] respectively] or in elders [7 [9.7%], 5 [7%] and 8 [11.1%] respectively]. The rate of diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder among elders 35 [48.6%] was much more common than either children and adolescents 13 [20.6%] or adults 23 [17.6%]. Social and specific phobias and impaired learning predominate in childhood but panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder and palpitation are at their highest prevalence in adulthood whereas generalized anxiety disorder, dizziness, syncope, tremors, urinary frequency and worry are most common in old age

Psychiatric disorders and MRI brain findings in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and behcet's disease: a cross sectional study

Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus [NPSLE] shows some similarities to neuro Behcet's disease [NBD].Aim of the work: to investigate and compare the psychiatric manifestations in a cohort of patients of systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] versus Behcet's Disease [BD]. Also, to compare of MRI brain findings in SLE patients and BD patients presented with psychiatric disorders. Finally, to correlate these manifestations with disease activity indices of the patients. The study included 50 patients of SLE, 34 patients of Behcet's disease [BD] and 44 healthy volunteers as a control group. All patients were subjected to psychiatric interview to diagnose any psychiatric disorders clinically. MRI brain was done for SLE patients and BD patients presented with psychiatric disorders. Overall clinical assessment and disease activity of SLE and BD were evaluated. Psychiatric disorders were detected in 28 [56%] of SLE patients which were significantly more prevalent than psychiatric disorders that were detected in [no.9, 26.47%] of BD patients. Psychiatric disorders in healthy volunteers were significantly less prevalent than either SLE patients or BD patients. MRI brain of SLE patients presented with psychiatric disorders commonly showed cerebral white matter abnormalities while in BD patients presented with psychiatric disorders commonly showed brain stem lesions. [1] High frequency of psychiatric disorders in SLE and BD with a significantly higher frequency in SLE. [2] Evident MRI brain findings in SLE and BD patients presented with psychiatric disorders