Comparison of Quality of Life in Women Suffering from Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Treated with Topical and Systemic Glucantime along with Psychiatric Consultation Compared with the Group without Psychiatric Consultation

Document Type : Original Article(s)

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Skin and Stem Cell Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Cardiovascular Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

3 Associate Professor , Skin Disease and Leishmaniasis Research Center, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan Iran

4 Student of Medicine, Skin Disease and Leishmaniasis Research Center And Student Research Committee, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan Iran

Abstract

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic disease which is endemic in Iran. Isfahan is one of the main centers of this disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of psychotherapy on quality of life (QOL) in women with CL treated with glucantime.Methods: In this study, 80 patients were randomly allocated to two groups, drug therapy and drug therapy plus psychotherapy. QOL was measured by dermatology life quality index (DLQI) and was compared at the beginning and the end of the intervention.Findings: The DLQI score before and after intervention in the group of drug therapy plus psychotherapy was 10.6 ± 5.7 and 7.7 ± 4.6, respectively, and their difference was statistically significant (P = 0.001). The score in drug therapy group before and after intervention was 10 ± 5.1 and 11 ± 5.1, respectively, which was not a significant difference. The mean difference of quality of life score before and after the treatment in the drug therapy plus psychotherapy group was 2.9 ± 5 and in the drug therapy group was 1.4 ± 4.2 (P < 0.001). Therefore, the quality of life was significantly higher in the patients treated with the combination of drug therapy and psychotherapy.Conclusion: Given the higher quality of life improvement by combination of psychotherapy and drug therapy in women with CL, psychiatric consultation is recommended.

Keywords


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