Abstract
BackgroundAlveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a parasitic zoonosis resembling malignancy due to its clinically silent infiltrative growth, predominately in the liver. The comorbid psychological burden and fear of disease progression in AE patients have hardly been examined to date. The aim of this study was to evaluate depression, anxiety, quality of life, and fear of disease progression in AE patients.Methodology/Principal findingsIn a cross-sectional study, n = 57 AE patients were invited to report on depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), somatic symptom load (SSS 8), trauma symptoms (PTSS-10), quality of life (SF-12) and on fear of disease progression (FoP-Q-SF) using validated psychometric instruments. Furthermore, attachment style was assessed (RQ-2). N = 47 patients completed the questionnaires (response rate 82.5%). Depression, anxiety, and somatic symptom load were above norm sample means, while physical quality of life was below norm sample means. Existing traumatic symptoms were comparable to those in cancer patients, while fear of disease progression even exceeded cancer patient scores. Patients with a secure attachment style showed less pronounced psychological burden than patients with other attachment styles. Adequate, guideline-based depression and anxiety treatment was very rarely installed.Conclusion/SignificanceThe present study revealed remarkable levels of psychological burden in AE patients. In our study sample, we discovered high depression and anxiety levels, a significant reduction of physical quality of life, and fear of disease progression. These results show how important it is for AE patients to be thoroughly assessed with regard to psychological symptoms and mental disorders so that those in need can receive sufficient psychosocial support and treatment according to official guidelines.
Highlights
Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a parasitic zoonosis
Our results show how important it is that AE patients are thoroughly assessed with regard to psychological symptoms and mental disorders, in order to give psychosocial support and supply treatment to those in need
Our findings indicate that AE patients may have a high prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder
Summary
Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a parasitic zoonosis. The life cycle of Echinococcus multilocularis predominately runs between foxes and rodents [1]. In early stages of the disease, the lesion(s) is (are) resected; in advanced stages, further growth is suppressed with benzimidazoles and patients are closely monitored for side effects and complications. Only one study [3] has focused on the psychological burden of AE patients and discovered that AE patients have a reduced mental quality of life. As far as we are aware, there has not been any other research on comorbid psychological burden and fear of disease progression (FoP) in AE patients. Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a parasitic zoonosis resembling malignancy due to its clinically silent infiltrative growth, predominately in the liver. The comorbid psychological burden and fear of disease progression in AE patients have hardly been examined to date. The aim of this study was to evaluate depression, anxiety, quality of life, and fear of disease progression in AE patients
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