PhD Scientific Days 2021

CL_VII_L: Clinical Medicine VII. Lectures

Depression and Anxiety in the Vertiginous Population

Text of the abstract

Introduction:
In case of vertigo complaints, in many cases, deterioration of the patients' quality of life is shown. Vertigo and dizziness can result in depression and anxiety; therefore, the diagnosis and management of these concomitant psychiatric disorders can improve the patients’ quality of life.
Aims:
The aim of the presented study was to examine the correlation between anxiety, depression and quality of life of patients suffering from vertigo or dizziness.
Methods:
149 patients (40 male, 109 female patients, mean ± SD age, 55.62 ± 12.87 years), who have visited the Neurotologic Tertiary Referral Centre of the Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery of Semmelweis University, due to vertigo or dizziness, were enrolled in this investigation. These patients have fulfilled the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), the Beck Depression Inventory and the Symptom Checklist 90-R (SCL-90-R) questionnaires. The statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS V24 software. To analyze correlation, simple linear correlation, Pearson and Spearman correlation tests were used. To detect significant difference, Mann-Whitney U test was applied.
Results:
Based on the neurotologic examinations, patients suffering from the following disorders have been enrolled: Ménière’s disease (n= 59), central vestibular disorders (n= 29), benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (n= 20), vestibular neuritis (n= 17), other vestibulopathy (n= 9), Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (n= 9), vestibular migraine (n= 5), vestibular Schwannoma (n= 1). Based on the DHI results, 86.9% of the patients showed impaired quality of life, of which 32.6% was in the severe range. Beck scale indicated depression in 47.8%. According to the correlation tests, significant correlation was detected between the total DHI score and Beck results, and the same outcome was detected in case of SCL-90-R and DHI results. Correlation was also observed when the Beck and SCL-90-R points were contrasted. When the DHI, Beck and SCL-90-R points between the different diagnosis groups were contrasted, no significant difference was detected.
Conclusion and Funding:
Based on the correlation between the DHI, Beck and SCL-90 results, depression and anxiety have significant effect on the patients’ quality of life. Therefore, the diagnosis and management of the psychiatric comorbidities is of great importance.

University and Doctoral School

Semmelweis University, Károly Rácz Doctoral School of Clinical Medicine