Features of the clinical course of the disease, quality of life and cytokine profile in patients with true eczema in the chronic stage and depression

BACKGROUND: The relationship between true eczema in the chronic stage and depression is currently of exceptional scientific interest.

AIM: To study of the features of the clinical course of the disease, quality of life and cytokine profile in patients with true eczema in the chronic stage and depression.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional comparative study involved 157 patients (86 men and 71 women) aged 18 to 40 years (average 31.2 [29.7; 35.6]) with true eczema in the chronic stage; of these, two groups were formed: 66 patients with comorbid depression and 91 without comorbid depression. The Montgomery-Asberg scale was used to determine depression symptoms and severity.

RESULTS: Patients with true eczema in the chronic stage and depression were characterized by a younger age (p=0.021), a more severe course of the disease according to the EASI (p <0.001), Pruritus (p=0.014) indices, a higher frequency of relapses (p=0.012) and more low level of quality of life according to the DLQI questionnaire (p <0.001), as well as higher values of IL-6 and TNF-α in the blood serum (p=0.011; p=0.001, respectively). An inverse correlation was established between the average total value on the Montgomery-Asberg scale and the age of the patients (r=-0.62; p=0.002), a direct one ― with the average total values on the EASI indices (r=0.73; p=0.001), Pruritus (r=0.60; p <0.001), DLQI (r=0.69; p=0.001) and TNF-α (r=0.61; p=0.013).

CONCLUSION: In patients with depression, true eczema in the chronic stage is more severe and is accompanied by an increase in systemic pro-inflammatory changes and a more significant decrease in quality of life than in patients without depression. The results obtained must be taken into account when choosing a therapeutic strategy for true eczema, which will personalize treatment and increase its effectiveness.