Psychiatric profiles in patients with liver cirrhosis

Abstract EN

Background & Aim : psychiatric disorders are common co morbidities in patients with liver cirrhosis that may impair patients' quality of life.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the common psychiatric disorders in cirrhotic patients in our locality.

Subjects and methods : psychiatric disorders were prospectively assessed by administration of Symptom Checklist-90 revised (SCL-90-R), Hamilton anxiety rating scale, and Hamilton Checklist of Symptoms of depressive illness to 200 patients with liver cirrhosis and 200 control volunteers of matched age.

In addition, clinical data, abdominal ultrasonography and laboratory data (liver function tests for patients) were collected.

Results : Compared with controls, cirrhotic patients were significantly more likely to have depression (43.5 % versus 14 %, P < 0.001), anxiety (16.5 % versus 5.5 % P < 0.001) and increased mean scores of SCL-90-R subscales (e.g.

somatization, depression and hostility).

Increasing severity of liver cirrhosis (based on the Child-Pugh score) was associated with increased frequency of Psychiatric disorders.

Conclusion: Compared with the control group, patients with liver cirrhosis showed significantly higher frequency of co morbid psychiatric disorders which is increased by worsening disease severity.