Hippokratia 1997, 1(2):93-97
A. Vidalis, G. Kaprinis, I. Fessatidis, P. Argyropoulou, D. Takoudas, G. Imvrios, V. Papanicolaou, E. Koutlas, A. Antoniadis
Abstract
Purpose of this study was the comparative exploration of transplantation’s psychopathology in order to improve the methodology of therapeutic intervention in these patients. The total number of patients included in the study was 48, 27 of them referred from the Cardiothoracic Centre of Northern Greece (heart n=22, lung n=5) and 21 from the Transplant Unit of Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, Hippokratio G.P. Hospital (liver n=21). Mental status was evaluated by psychiatric interviews as well as by psychological tests (SCL90-R, Beck Depression Inventory, Mini Mental State Examination, ??PI). Results revealed in the majority of patients, subjective somatization complaints: obsession, anger, paranoid indention and depression. Regarding the objective complaints, patients were presented with symtomatology of: somatization, depression, anxiety and phobic anxiety. From the total sample, 37% of liver recipients and 20% of lung had cognitive disorders compared to only 9% of heart recipients. In general terms, different psychopathology appeared to depend on the phase of transplantation and the organ transplanted. Intervention requires individualized and pluralistic manipulations from medical specialties while psychiatrists should offer a regular and stable collaboration to the transplants units.