Ahmet Koyuncu1, Erhan Ertekin2, Zerrin Binbay3, Ilker Ozyıldırım4, Cağrı Yüksel5, Raşit Tükel6. 1. Bahat Group Hospitals, Psychiatry Unit, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: ahmet_koyu@hotmail.com. 2. Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Psychiatry Department, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: erhanert76@yahoo.com. 3. Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Hospital, Psychiatric Clinic, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: zbinbay@yahoo.com. 4. Psychiatrist in private practice, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: ilkerozy@yahoo.com. 5. Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Psychiatry Department, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: cagriyuksel@hotmail.com. 6. Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Psychiatry Department, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: rtukel@gmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: High comorbidity rates of mood disorders have been reported in patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Our study aims to identify the frequency of comorbid Axis I disorders in patients with SAD and to investigate the impact of psychiatric comorbidity on SAD. METHODS: The study included 247 patients with SAD. Thirty eight patients with bipolar depression (SAD-BD), 150 patients with major depressive disorder (SAD-MDD) and 25 patients who do not have any mood disorder comorbidity (SAD-NOMD) were compared. RESULTS: Around 90% of SAD patients had at least one comorbid disorder. Comorbidity rates of lifetime MDD and BD were 74.5% and 15.4%, respectively. There was no comorbidity in the SAD-NOMD group. Atypical depression, total number of depressive episodes and rate of PTSD comorbidity were higher in SAD-BD than in SAD-MDD. Additionally, OCD comorbidity was higher in SAD-BD than in SAD-NOMD. SAD-MDD group had higher social anxiety severity than SAD-NOMD. CONCLUSIONS: Mood disorder comorbidity might be associated with increased severity and decreased functionality in patients with SAD.
BACKGROUND: High comorbidity rates of mood disorders have been reported in patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Our study aims to identify the frequency of comorbid Axis I disorders in patients with SAD and to investigate the impact of psychiatric comorbidity on SAD. METHODS: The study included 247 patients with SAD. Thirty eight patients with bipolar depression (SAD-BD), 150 patients with major depressive disorder (SAD-MDD) and 25 patients who do not have any mood disorder comorbidity (SAD-NOMD) were compared. RESULTS: Around 90% of SAD patients had at least one comorbid disorder. Comorbidity rates of lifetime MDD and BD were 74.5% and 15.4%, respectively. There was no comorbidity in the SAD-NOMD group. Atypical depression, total number of depressive episodes and rate of PTSD comorbidity were higher in SAD-BD than in SAD-MDD. Additionally, OCD comorbidity was higher in SAD-BD than in SAD-NOMD. SAD-MDD group had higher social anxiety severity than SAD-NOMD. CONCLUSIONS:Mood disorder comorbidity might be associated with increased severity and decreased functionality in patients with SAD.