The evaluation of depression and anxiety levels of mothers of patients with periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and adenitis syndrome and familial Mediterranean fever

Elif Arslanoglu Aydin; Esra Baglan; İlknur Bagrul; Nesibe Gokce Kocamaz; Serife Tuncez; Mehmet Bulbul; Semanur Ozdel

doi:10.1080/00325481.2024.2347829

The evaluation of depression and anxiety levels of mothers of patients with periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and adenitis syndrome and familial Mediterranean fever

Postgrad Med. 2024 Apr 29:1-6. doi: 10.1080/00325481.2024.2347829. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Elif Arslanoglu Aydin¹, Esra Baglan¹, İlknur Bagrul¹, Nesibe Gokce Kocamaz¹, Serife Tuncez¹, Mehmet Bulbul², Semanur Ozdel¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatric Rheumatology, Ankara Etlik City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
² Department of Pediatric Nephrology and Rheumatology, Dr. Sami Ulus Maternity and Child Health and Diseases Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.

PMID: 38683959
DOI: 10.1080/00325481.2024.2347829

Abstract

Objective: Periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis and adenitis (PFAPA) syndrome and familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) are autoinflammatory disorders typically characterized by recurrent fever attacks. These recurrent fever attacks can lead to depression and anxiety in mothers of these patients. This study aimed to compare the depression and anxiety levels in mothers of PFAPA and FMF patients.

Methods: This study is a cross-sectional observational study. 48 mothers of children with FMF and 70 mothers of children with PFAPA participated in the study. Mothers in these two groups were compared in terms of anxiety and depression by using the validated Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI).

Results: Depression and anxiety scores of mothers were found to be similar in FMF and PFAPA groups. Moderate or high level of anxiety was seen in 32% of mothers of patients with PFAPA and 27% of mothers of patients with FMF. 23% of mothers of patients with PFAPA were evaluated as having moderate or severe depression, and 18% of mothers of patients with FMF were evaluated as having moderate depression. There was no statistically significant difference between the duration, frequency of attacks, recurrent hospitalizations, sociodemographic characteristics, and inventory scores.

Conclusion: Depression and anxiety scores of mothers with children diagnosed with FMF and PFAPA are similar. These two diseases affect families psychosocially at similar levels. It is important to provide psychosocial support to families.

Keywords: Beck anxiety inventory; PFAPA; adenitis; aphthous stomatitis; beck depression inventory; familial Mediterranean fever; periodic fever; pharyngitis.