[Psychometric investigation of Tyrolean patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon]. / Psychometrische Tests bei primärem Raynaud-Phänomen--Untersuchungsergebnisse an einem Tiroler Patientenkollektiv.

Primary Raynaud's phenomenon (PRP) is provoked by digital vasospasm induced by cold and emotional strain. By use of established psychometric test instruments (Freiburger Aggressionsfragebogen (FAF), Fragebogen zur Abschätzung psychosomatischen Krankheitserlebens (FAPK), Stressverarbeitungsfragebogen (SVF 120)) we examined the patients' ways of dealing with aggression and distress as well as their experience of psychosomatic illness. In all psychometric tests performed there were no statistically significant differences between the patients and the controls, indicating that patients with PRP depict no specific ways of dealing with aggression and distress, and do not experience psychosomatic illness. The subgroup of patients with affective disorders and the subgroup of patients with impaired psychological well-being, displayed a 'depressive style' of dealing with life events. Patients with major physical complaints of symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon showed either an inability or a propensity to deny aggression. Patients with impaired psychological well-being tended to complain more often about severe physical symptoms associated with Raynaud's phenomenon. Psychometric testing in patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon cannot be recommended without additional psychiatric diagnostic. In patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon and psychiatric comorbidity psychometric testing can additionally provide useful clinical information.

[Psychiatric investigation of Tyrolean patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon]. / Psychiatrische Untersuchungen bei Tiroler Patienten mit primärem Raynaud-Phänomen.

Raynaud's phenomenon is provoked by digital vasospasm, mostly induced by cold and emotional strain. While studies dealing with other vasospastic disorders, e. g. migraine, described an increased comorbidity with affective and anxiety disorders, only little evidence has been reported for such an association in Raynaud's phenomenon. 70 Tyrolean patients (55 females and 15 males) with primary Raynaud's phenomenon presented more often with psychiatric morbidity on DSM-IV axis-I during their life-time than prevalence studies in the general population of North America and Europe would have led to expect. No psychotic (0%) and fewer somatoform disorders (2.9%) were found whereas anxiety disorders (77.1%), affective disorders (48.6%), and eating disorders (14.3%) were clearly overrepresented. We would therefore recommend a psychiatric evaluation in primary Raynaud's phenomenon along with the vascular diagnostic assessment to ensure that any psychiatric co-morbidity can be identified and treated.