Depressive and Anxiety Disorders in Patients With Chronic Liver Diseases

Prevalence of Depressive Disorders and Anxiety Disorders Among Sample of Patients With Chronic Liver Disease Attending Assiut University Hospitals.

The aim of this observational study is to learn about the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders among patients with chronic liver diseases

Major depressive disorder (MDD), or clinical depression, is a psychiatric disorder characterized by 2 or more weeks of persistently depressed mood accompanied by symptoms such as feelings of worthlessness, guilt, hopelessness, helplessness, loss of self-esteem, sleep disturbance, changes in oral intake, anhedonia, loss of interest, and suicidality. The american psychiatric association, on the definition of anxiety, describes anxiety as the anticipated anticipation of a future danger or negative event, accompanied by feelings of dysphoria or physical symptoms of tension. The elements exposed to risk may belong both to the internal world and to the external world. depression is highly prevalent globally and is a leading cause of disability. The global burden of disease study found depression to be a leading cause of disability among all illnesses. Liver cirrhosis is one of the diseases commonly associated with depression.chronic liver disease is the progressive destruction and regeneration of the liver parenchyma leading to fibrosis and cirrhosis (normally lasts 6 months). The etiologic agents of CLD include hepatotropic viruses (HBV and HCV), fatty liver, alcohol, autoimmune hepatitis, etc. The mortality of CLD patients remains high not only due to irreversible cirrhosis, but also multiple complications such as HCC and mental disease, especially depression. The progressive nature of this disease results in high rates of hospitalization, extensive exposure to medications, increased financial burden, frequent need for invasive procedures, changes in body image, and an increase in morbidity and mortality. All these factors contribute to the physical and psychological stress that mediates the development of depressive symptom high rates of depression have been documented in patients with decompensated liver disease and in those anticipating liver transplantation.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. patients admitted or attending at Rajhi university hospital with chronic liver disease including: viral (hepatitis B and C), autoimmune (primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis and autoimmune hepatitis), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, Morbus Wilson and cryptogenic CLD.
2. age group above 18 years old.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. patients with chronic liver disease with other psychiatric disorders other than depression and anxiety.
2. patients with acute complication of chronic liver disease.
3. patients with chronic liver disease who underwent liver transplation.
4. patients with chronic liver disease under antiviral therapy.