Anxiety and depression propensities in patients with acute toxic liver injury

AIM: To investigate anxiety and depression propensities in patients with toxic liver injury. METHODS: The subjects were divided into three groups: a healthy control group (Group 1, n = 125), an acute non-toxic liver injury group (Group 2, n = 124), and a group with acute toxic liver injury group caused by non-commercial herbal preparations (Group 3, n = 126). These three groups were compared and evaluated through questionnaire surveys and using the Hospital Anxiety-Depression Scale (HADS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the hypochondriasis scale. RESULTS: The HADS anxiety subscale was 4.9 +/- 2.7, 5.0 +/- 3.0 and 5.6 +/- 3.4, in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The HADS depression subscale in Group 3 showed the most significant score (5.2 +/- 3.2, 6.4 +/- 3.4 and 7.2 +/- 3.4 in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively) (P < 0.01 vs Group 1, P < 0.05 vs Group 2). The BAI and BDI in Group 3 showed the most significant score (7.0 +/- 6.3 and 6.9 +/- 6.9, 9.5 +/- 8.6 and 8.8 +/- 7.3, 10.7 +/- 7.2 and 11.6 +/- 8.5 in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively) (BAI: P < 0.01 vs Group 1, P < 0.05 vs Group 2) (BDI: P < 0.01 vs Group 1 and 2). Group 3 showed a significantly higher hypochondriasis score (8.2 +/- 6.0, 11.6 +/- 7.5 and 13.1 +/- 6.5 in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively) (P < 0.01 vs Group 1, P < 0.05 vs Group 2). CONCLUSION: Psychological factors that present vulnerability to the temptation to use alternative medicines, such as herbs and plant preparations, are important for understanding toxic liver injury. (C) 2013 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.