Cutaneous sensory function is not related to depression and anxiety in patients with chronic pruritus with dysesthetic subqualities

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the subgroup of patients with chronic pruritus with dysesthetic subqualities for the presence of psychiatric comorbidities and to evaluate whether anxiety and depression make a difference in perception of somatosensory stimuli in quantitative sensory testing (QST). Forty-nine patients underwent routine diagnostics, a standardised QST testing battery, a psychosomatic evaluation for psychic comorbidities and filled out 2 questionnaires: the Patient Health Questionnaire for the assessment of depressive mood and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. Twenty-seven (55.1%) of the sample had at least one psychiatric comorbid diagnosis. QST parameters were not correlated to anxiety and depression levels. We conclude that psychosomatic evaluation should become part of routine diagnostics of these patients in order to detect and treat psychiatric comorbidity. However, research on somatosensory aspects in these patients seems not to be affected by the levels of anxiety and depression.