Quality of life, anxiety and depression in sarcoidosis.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the quality of life and the presence of psychiatric disorders in patients with sarcoidosis. METHODS: Data were collected from 80 consecutive outpatients with sarcoidosis presenting to the Sarcoidosis Center of the Respiratory Diseases Division at the University of Siena, Italy. RESULTS: Forty-four percent of the subjects endorsed at least one psychiatric DSM-IV axis I diagnosis. Specifically, 25% of subjects met the criteria for Major Depressive Disorder, 6.3% for Panic Disorder, 6.3% for Bipolar Disorder, 5% for Generalized Anxiety Disorder and 1.3% for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Statistically significant correlations were found between Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second (FEV(1)), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) and several domains of the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q) questionnaire. Subjects with multi-systemic involvement, with asthenia and with a more severe radiographic stage and subjects receiving steroids, reported a poorer quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Sarcoidosis is associated with a high rate of psychiatric comorbidity and may contribute to a poorer quality of life. A referral for a psychiatric or psychological evaluation and counseling should be considered for many of the sarcoidosis patients.

Quality of life and subthreshold obsessive-compulsive disorder.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the relationship between subthreshold obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and quality of life (QoL) in a sample from the Italian general population. METHODS: A sample of 202 psychiatrically healthy (defined as absence of current axis I and axis II disorders) subjects was recruited by word of mouth from the residential population in the Siena, Salerno and Milano municipalities (Italy). All study subjects completed the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q) and the Questionnaire for Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum (OBS-SR), which explore a wide array of threshold and subthreshold OCD symptoms, behaviours and traits. A diagnostic assessment was conducted to exclude the presence of DSM-IV axis I and axis II disorders using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R personality disorders, respectively. RESULTS: A statistically significant correlation was found between the OBS-SR total score and the Q-LES-Q domains of physical health, subjective feelings, work, school, social relationships and general activities. There was also a statistically significant correlation between several Q-LES-Q and OBS-SR domains. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of subthreshold OCD is correlated with poorer QoL. More research is needed to evaluate if specific therapeutic interventions targeting subthreshold obsessive-compulsive symptoms can lead to a significant improvement in the QoL of the affected individuals.

Quality of life and subthreshold affective symptoms.

Although Quality of Life in patients with Mood Disorders has been widely investigated, there are very few studies that examine the relationship between quality of life and subthreshold affective symptoms. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between mood spectrum and subjective quality of life in the general population. A sample of 200 healthy subjects was recruited from the general population. None of the subjects were treated with psychotropic medications or were receiving psychotherapy at the time of the assessments. Subjects were 22-55 years old. The mean age was 33.56 years. Subjects rated themselves on the 'Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire' (Q-LES-Q) and the 'Self-Report Questionnaire for Mood Spectrum' (MOODS-SR). We found a statistically significant correlation between Q-LES-Q total score and MOODS-SR total score (r = -0.43; p < 0.001) and between Q-LES-Q total score and depressive symptoms-related subtotal score of MOODS-SR (r = -0.35; p < 0.001), but not between Q-LES-Q total score and manic symptoms-related subtotal score of MOODS-SR. Our data suggests that subjects who report subthreshold affective symptomatology also report a low degree of enjoyment and satisfaction from life. The depressive aspects of the mood spectrum seem to have the greatest negative influence.

Panic-agoraphobic spectrum and light sensitivity in a general population sample in Italy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to verify a possible correlation between panic symptoms and photosensitivity, not only in panic disorder (PD) but also in the panic-agoraphobic spectrum. METHOD: One hundred and sixty-nine healthy and drug-free subjects completed the Structured Clinical Interview for Panic-Agoraphobic Spectrum-Lifetime version (SCI-PAS-Lifetime) and the Photosensitivity Assessment Questionnaire (PAQ). RESULTS: The SCI-PAS-Lifetime total score was positively correlated with the total score of the PAQ photophobia subdimension (r = 0.44; P < 0.001); the SCI-PAS-Lifetime total score was not significantly correlated with the photophilia subdimension. As photophobia increased, we observed significant score increases in all SCI-PAS-Lifetime domains. Bivariate correlation showed higher coefficient correlation between the panic-like symptoms domain and photophobia (r = 0.44; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A high total score in the SCI-PAS-Lifetime, which denotes more typical features of the spectrum, is associated with a higher level of light sensitivity and intolerance toward bright stimuli. This finding reflects clinical evidence that widely documents photophobic behaviours in subjects with PD and the importance of light stimuli exposure during the onset and course of such a disorder. Bright stimulation seems to be relevant both in PD diagnosed according to current DSM criteria and in the entire panic-agoraphobic spectrum, from nuclear elements of the disorder through subclinical states to the normal condition.