Alexithymia, Emotional Distress, and Perceived Quality of Life in Patients With Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis

Frontiers in Psychology

Gabriella Martino¹  Roberto Vita¹  Maria C. Quattropani¹  Salvatore Benvenga²  Carmelo M. Vicario³  Andrea Caputo⁴  Torquil Watt⁵  Ulla Feldt-Rasmussen⁵ 

[1] Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy;Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy;Master Program on Childhood, Adolescent and Women’s Endocrine Health, University of Messina, Messina, Italy;Interdepartmental Program of Molecular and Clinical Endocrinology and Women’s Endocrine Health, University Hospital, AOU Policlinico “G. Martino, Messina, Italy;Department of Cognitive Sciences, Psychological, Pedagogical and Cultural Studies, University of Messina, Messina, Italy;Department of Dynamic and Clinical Psychology, and Health Studies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy;Department of Medical Endocrinology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark;Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Clinical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark;

关键词: alexithymia (TAS-20);    clinical psychology and health;    depression;    anxiety;    quality of life;    HR-QoL;    Hascimoto’s thyroiditis;    emotional distress;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2021.667237

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Emotion-processing impairment represents a risk factor for the development of somatic illness, affecting negatively both health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and disease management in several chronic diseases. The present pilot study aims at (i) investigating the associations between alexithymia and depression, anxiety, and HRQoL in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT); (ii) examining the association between these three psychological conditions together with HRQoL, and thyroid autoantibodies status as well as thyroid echotexture in patients with HT; and (iii) comparing the intensity of all these clinical psychological features in patients with HT versus controls. Twenty-one patients with serologically or ultrasonographically verified HT and 16 controls with non-toxic goiter or postsurgical hypothyroidism were recruited for this study. Serum thyrotropin (TSH) and free thyroxine, as well as thyroid autoantibodies (thyroglobulin antibodies and thyroid peroxidase antibodies), were assayed. Alexithymia, depression, anxiety, and HRQoL were assessed with Toronto Alexithymia Scale; Beck Depression Inventory, second edition; Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale; and Health Survey Short-Form 36, respectively. A negative relationship between the difficulty to describe feelings and the cognitive component of depression was found (r = -0.46, p = 0.04). Besides, patients with seronegative HT had lower somatic anxiety than patients with HT who tested positive (r = -0.68, p = 0.01 and r = -0.59, p = 0.04, respectively). Besides, no statistically significant difference was found between patients with HT and controls with regard to somatic anxiety. The present study suggests the relevance of alexithymia in patients suffering from HT, which may be intertwined with a possible state of underreported depression that is mainly expressed through physical complaints. Promoting the capability to describe and communicate feelings could contribute to psychological elaboration and coping with the disease and, consequently, to the improvement of self-management and perceived HRQoL.

【 授权许可】

CC BY