Study Of The Correlation Of Mental Health,Personality Characteristics And Plasma Cortisol Levels In The Patients With Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Objective:Generalized anxiety disorder is highly prevalent,highly recurrent,and can cause significant impairment.To study the correlation of clinical symptoms,mental health,personality characteristics and plasma cortisol levels in the patients with generalized anxiety disorder.Methods:According to Chinese Classification and Diagnostic Criteria of Mental Disorders-3rd Edition(CCMD—3),38 Patients with generalized anxiety disorder in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College and 39 normal controls were assessed with Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAMA),Symptom Checklist-90(SCL-90)and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire(EPQ).Electrochemiluminescence was used to test plasma cortisol concentration.Results:The more frequent symptoms were tension(100%),anxious mood(97.38%),behavior at interview(94.74%),insomnia(94.74%),Autonomic nerve symptoms(92.11%) and cardiovascular symptoms(89.47%).The SCL-90 total score and 9 subscores in the patients were significantly higher than those in normal controls(t=2.129～13.971,P<0.01).The EPQ-N score in the patients was significantly higher than that in normal controls(t=14.307,P<0.01).Furthermore,N score in the patients had a significantly positive correlation with HAMA total score,SCL-90 total score,somatization score,obsessive-compulsive score,interpersonal sensitivity score,depression score,anxiety score and photic anxiety score(r=0.492～0.977,P<0.05).Plasma cortisol levels in the patients with generalized anxiety disorder were significantly higher than those in normal controls[(668.50±60.22)nmol/L,(345.35±58.91)nmol/L(P<0.01)].There was no statistical difference between Females and males in plasma cortisol concentrations(P>0.05).Plasma cortisol concentrations displayed a significantly positive correlation with HAMA total score, SCL-90 total score,somatization score,obsessive-compulsive score, interpersonal sensitivity score,depression score,anxiety score, photic anxiety score and N score (r=0.501～0.995,P<0.01).Conclusions:Tension,anxious mood,behavior at interview,insomnia,autonomic nerve symptoms and cardiovascular symptoms are the most frequent symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.Patients with generalized anxiety disorder tend to be neuroticism.Plasma cortisol levels in the patients with generalized anxiety disorder increase.