Background Patients with systemic sclerosis (SS) report about significant emotional problems that influence negatively on psychological well-being and quality of their life.

Objectives Our aim was to improve the complex therapy of SS patients on the basis of studying of individual psychological characteristics of SS patients and influence of biofeedback therapy.

Methods We observed 90 SS patients. The middle age of patients was equal to 38,19±12,1 years, average duration of illness was 11,2±3,4 years. The minimum degree of disease activity (I) has been diagnosed in 47 (52,2%), medium (II) degree - in 38 (42,2%) and high (III) degree - in 5 (5,6%) patients. A chronic course of the disease was diagnosed in 39 (43,3%), subacute - in 48 (53,3%), and acute - in 3 patients (3,3%). The stage of initial changes has been diagnosed in 37 (41%), a stage of generalization of process - in 50 (55,5%), a late (terminal) stage – in 3 patients (3,5%). Depending on degree of skin changes limited SS has been diagnosed in 66 (73,3%), and diffuse SS form - in 24 (26,7%) patients.

SS patients have been divided on two groups randomly: the basic (n=60) and control (n=30). Patients of basic group received 12-14 sessions of multimodal (temperature and EEG) biofeedback training using “Reacor” rehabilitation complex.

The analysis of biofeedback efficiency was made by studying of dynamics of following indices and their comparison in patients of basic and control groups: the Spielberger test - for personal and reactive anxiety, and Beck test - for depression.

Results The high level of personal (52,74 points) and reactive (53,11 points) anxiety has been found in SS patients. It was revealed that patients with III degree of SS activity have reliable higher reactive anxiety. Correlation between disease activity and reactive anxiety was 4,25 at p=0,017. Besides, the analysis we carried out has shown correlation between SS duration (r=0,31 at p=0,024), age of patients (r=0,48 at p=0,004) and anxiety. Reactive anxiety decreased after the therapy, however this dynamics was reliable in patients of basic group (p<0,001) only.

SS patients were characterized by the high level of depression, and the depression has been correlated with activity of the disease: at III degree of SS activity it was most expressed (p=0,001). The analysis we carried out has shown correlation between SS duration (r=0,43 at p=0,038) and depression. During the therapy these indices tended to decrease, however this dynamics was reliable in patients of a basic group (p<0,01) only.

Conclusions Thus, the results of our researches propose that anxiety and depression are the common in SS patients and biofeedback therapy has positive influence on emotional disturbances in patients that can promote improvement of therapy efficiency of SS and its prognosis.

Disclosure of Interest None Declared