Livia Savarese1, Maria Bova2, Assunta Maiello3, Angelica Petraroli2, Ilaria Mormile2, Mauro Cancian4, Riccardo Senter4, Andrea Zanichelli5, Giuseppe Spadaro2, Maria Francesca Freda3. 1. Department of Humanities, University "Federico II", Naples, Italy. Livia.savarese@unina.it. 2. Department of Translational Medical Sciences and Center for Basic and Clinical Immunology Research (CISI), University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy. 3. Department of Humanities, University "Federico II", Naples, Italy. 4. Department of Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy. 5. ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, "Luigi Sacco" Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hereditary angioedema associated to C1 inhibitor deficiency (C1-INH-HAE) is a pathological condition characterized by episodes of subcutaneous swelling and it is frequently associated with discomfort and social impairment of the patients, due to the anxiety experienced for an unpreventable manifestation of an attack during daily life. In children increased level of stress and alexithymia have been associated to C1-INH-HAE, and the latter correlated also with the severity of the disease. We hypothesized that the involvement of psychological issues may impact on the severity of C1-INH-HAE in adult patients as well, interfering with their ability to engage with the management of the disease. METHODS: 28 adult patients with C1-INH-HAE were evaluated for clinical (C1-INH-HAE Severity Score) and psychological factors (alexithymia, emotion regulation, stress, patient health engagement, general severity index) by means of validated questionnaires. RESULTS: Mean age (standard deviation [SD]) was 45 (11) years and time from diagnosis was 20 (12) years. The mean C1-INH-HAE severity score was 6.4. Alexithymia was absent in 22 (78%) patients. Moderate and high stress levels were present in 17 (61%) and 4 (14%) patients, respectively. Moderate-high discomfort was experienced by 9 (36%) patients and a discomfort beyond the clinical attention threshold was shown by 3 (12%) patients. Stress correlated with patient health engagement and with psychological discomfort. CONCLUSIONS: In C1-INH-HAE, patients health engagement and moderate-high psychological discomfort are linked with stress but not with the severity of the disease or alexithymia. A better patient health engagement may be a target for psychological intervention in clinics to ameliorate the stress perceived by C1-INH-HAE patients.
BACKGROUND:Hereditary angioedema associated to C1 inhibitor deficiency (C1-INH-HAE) is a pathological condition characterized by episodes of subcutaneous swelling and it is frequently associated with discomfort and social impairment of the patients, due to the anxiety experienced for an unpreventable manifestation of an attack during daily life. In children increased level of stress and alexithymia have been associated to C1-INH-HAE, and the latter correlated also with the severity of the disease. We hypothesized that the involvement of psychological issues may impact on the severity of C1-INH-HAE in adult patients as well, interfering with their ability to engage with the management of the disease. METHODS: 28 adult patients with C1-INH-HAE were evaluated for clinical (C1-INH-HAE Severity Score) and psychological factors (alexithymia, emotion regulation, stress, patient health engagement, general severity index) by means of validated questionnaires. RESULTS: Mean age (standard deviation [SD]) was 45 (11) years and time from diagnosis was 20 (12) years. The mean C1-INH-HAE severity score was 6.4. Alexithymia was absent in 22 (78%) patients. Moderate and high stress levels were present in 17 (61%) and 4 (14%) patients, respectively. Moderate-high discomfort was experienced by 9 (36%) patients and a discomfort beyond the clinical attention threshold was shown by 3 (12%) patients. Stress correlated with patient health engagement and with psychological discomfort. CONCLUSIONS: In C1-INH-HAE, patients health engagement and moderate-high psychological discomfort are linked with stress but not with the severity of the disease or alexithymia. A better patient health engagement may be a target for psychological intervention in clinics to ameliorate the stress perceived by C1-INH-HAEpatients.
Authors: José Granero-Molina; Francisco Sánchez-Hernández; Cayetano Fernández-Sola; María Del Mar Jiménez-Lasserrotte; Laura Helena Antequera-Raynal; José Manuel Hernández-Padilla Journal: Clin Nurs Res Date: 2018-06-04 Impact factor: 2.075
Authors: P Triggianese; R Senter; A Petraroli; A Zoli; M Lo Pizzo; D Bignardi; E Di Agosta; S Agolini; F Arcoleo; O Rossi; S Modica; E Greco; M S Chimenti; G Spadaro; C De Carolis; M Cancian Journal: Front Med (Lausanne) Date: 2022-09-14