Social phobia in spasmodic torticollis

Abstract

Objectives: To study the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity assessed by the use of a structured clinical interview in a large, representative sample of patients with spasmodic torticollis (ST) and to test the hypothesis that social phobia would be highly prevalent.

Methods: In a consecutive cohort of 116 patients with ST treated with botulinum toxin overall psychiatric comorbidity was studied prospectively with the structured clinical interview (SCID) for DSM-IV axis I disorders. Physical disability and psychosocial variables were also assessed with standardised self rating questionnaires.

Results: 41.3% of the subjects met DSM-IV clinical criteria A-G for current social phobia as the primary psychiatric diagnosis. This figure rose to 56% including secondary and tertiary psychiatric diagnosis. There was no correlation between severity of disease (Tsui score, severity of pain, body image dissatisfaction score) and psychiatric comorbidity. The only significant predictor of psychiatric comorbidity was depressive coping behaviour (logistic regression analysis, p < 0.01; OR=10.8). Compared with a representative sample of the general adult population, in the patients with ST the prevalence of clinically relevant social phobia is 10-fold, of mood disorders 2.4-fold, and of lifetime psychiatric comorbidity 2.6-fold increased.

Conclusions: A particularly high prevalence of social phobia was found in the cohort of patients with ST. The finding of a high prevalence of social phobia and depressive coping behaviour as the main predictor of psychiatric comorbidity may make a subgroup of patients with ST particularly amenable to specific psychotherapeutic interventions.