Prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder among dermatological patients and level of insight about their symptoms / Prevalência do transtorno dismórfico corporal em pacientes dermatológicos e avaliação da crítica sobre os sintomas nessa população

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2008

RESUMO

Cosmetic concerns are increasingly pervading the contemporary societies, focusing on body shape and the skin perfection. Dermatologists and plastic surgeons are frequently consulted to evaluate and treat these concerns. Therefore it is important to be aware of the Body Dysmorphic Disorder, also known as dysmorphophobia, little studied until recently. This disorder is relatively common sometimes causing impairment involving a distorted perception of the body image characterized by an excessive preoccupation with an imagined or minimal appearance defect. Most of the patients experience some degree of impairment in social or occupational functioning and as a result, their obsessive thoughts, may lead to repetitive behaviors and in severe cases, to attempted suicide. Most individuals have poor insight and they do not acknowledge the defect is minimal or inexistent and seek out cosmetic treatments for a psychiatric disorder. The prevalence of this disorder among general population ranges from 1 to 2 % and in dermatological and cosmetic surgery patients ranges from 2, 9 to 16%. This study assessed the prevalence of Body Dysmorphic Disorder in dermatological patients. Trained interviewers used questionnaires (BDDQ) and semi-structured clinical interviews (SCID) to access patients seeking clinical or surgical cosmetic treatments (Cosmetic group, n=150), seeking dermatology in general (General group, n=150) and a control group of 50 subjects. Three independent psychiatrists assigned the best estimate diagnosis and 32 patients were diagnosed with the disorder (Cosmetic 14%, General 6, 7% and Control 2%). Prevalence differences in the three groups were significant, also for Cosmetic and Control groups. In the logistic regression a higher prevalence has been noticed in the Cosmetic group (when compared with General and Control groups), in patients that are not currently married and with less body mass index. The severity of the symptoms assessed by a validated scale (BDD-YBOCS) was moderate and the obsessions were significantly higher in the Cosmetic group as compared to the General one. Beliefs were assessed by a scale (BABS) and insight were significantly poorer in the Cosmetic group. None of the patients had been previously diagnosed. Psychiatric co-morbidities were frequent, mostly Major Depressive Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Comparing two patients subgroups with just Body Dysmorphic Disorder and patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder as comorbidity show no differences according to demographic variables, Axis I psychiatric comorbidity, symptoms severity and level of insight. The most frequent dermatological concerns were dyschromias, acne, the shape of the body and ageing. In the Cosmetical group most of the patients have performed clinical or surgical cosmetic treatments with poor results. Our findings provide further support for higher prevalence of Body Dysmorphic Disorder in dermatological patients, mainly those seeking cosmetic treatments and suggests that those patients might be more obsessive and having poorer insight into their symptoms. Taking into account the high prevalence of Body Dysmorphic Disorder in dermatological patients and cosmetic treatments that rarely improve symptoms there are compelling reasons for training professionals to systematically investigate, diagnose and refer these patients to adequate psychiatric treatment

ASSUNTO(S)

body image cirurgia plástica surgery plastic comorbidity procedimentos cirúrgicos minimamente invasivos dermatologia prevalence imagem corporal transtorno obsessivo-compulsivo transtorno dismórfico corporal comorbidade dermatology comparative study somatoform disorders/epidemiology estudo comparativo transtornos somatoformes/epidemiologia prevalência obsessive-compulsive disorder surgical procedures minimally invasive

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