Depression and anxiety in Atopic Dermatitis
The negative psychosocial effect of atopic dermatitis on quality of life is well established and increasing evidence suggests that depression and anxiety are also more common in these disease.
[quote align=»center» color=»#999999″]Sleep loss and pruritus has been correlated with symptoms of depression
In a recent study carried out at the Wisconsin School of Medicine it has benn objectively assessed the prevalence of depression and anxiety in youth with atopic dermatitis and the association of these symptoms with symptoms severity.
[quote align=»center» color=»#999999″]There is a worldwide growing prevalence of atopic dermatitis
It was observed that adolescents with atopic dermatatis had increased rates of any current anxiety disorder compared with community estimates; social anxiety disorder was most common. Rates of current depressive disorders and lifetime rates of anxiety and depressive disorders were increased but did not substantially differ from published ranges.
Subjective severity and sleep loss and pruritus were significantly correlated with symptoms of depression. The authors suggest that chronic sleep loss contributes to emotional and physical fatigue that negatively affects existing social sensitivity and social relationships central to an adolescent quality of life and resultant increased depression.