HMSN1(CMT1): Pychiatric disorders appear equally in patients with DM, FSHD also

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Acta Neurol Scand. 2007 Apr;115(4):265-70.

Pychiatric disorders appear equally in patients with myotonic

dystrophy, facioscapulohumeral dystrophy, and hereditary motor and

sensory neuropathy type I.

Kalkman JS, Schillings ML, Zwarts MJ, van Engelen BG, Bleijenberg G.

Expert Centre Chronic Fatigue, Radboud University Nijmingen Medical

Centre, The Netherlands.

Objectives - To study the presence of psychiatric comorbidity

assessed by the use of a structured clinical interview and self-

reported questionnaires in a large sample of patients with adult-

onset myotonic dystrophy (DM), facioscapulohumeral muscular

dystrophy (FSHD), and hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type I

(HMSN-I), and to assess whether psychiatric comorbidity is related

to fatigue severity and/or muscle strength.

Methods - In a cohort of 217 patients with a neuromuscular disorder

(79 DM, 65 FSHD and 73 HMSN-I patients) overall psychiatric

comorbidity was studied cross-sectionally with the structured

clinical interview for DSM-IV axis I disorders. Self-reported

psychopathology, fatigue severity and muscle strength were assessed

with the Beck Depression Inventory, Symptom Checklist-90, General

Health Questionnaire-12, Checklist Individual Strength and muscle

strength [Medical Research Council (MRC)-scale].

Results - In all three neuromuscular disorders (DM, FSHD and HMSN),

10-12% of the patients met DSM IV clinical criteria for current

psychiatric disorders. Lifetime psychiatric disorders were found in

32% of patients in all three patient groups. The most common

psychiatric disorders were depression and phobias. A comparison of

patients with and without current psychiatric disorder showed that

fatigue severity and muscle strength (MRC) were not related to

psychiatric comorbidity.

Conclusion - Psychiatric disorders appear equally in patients with

DM, FSHD and HMSN-I and are not related to fatigue or muscle

strength in these patients.