Moscow, Russia
The
analysis of treatment of 56 men (outpatients)
in the age from 25 to 30
years with residual radiational
reactions after contamination (23 - 30 roentgens) which took
part in the liquidation of the consequences of the Chernobyl
disaster. The patients were observed for twenty
years.
It
was shown by phenomenological method that these patients
suffered from so-called 'chronic post-radiational psycho-somatosis'
(term of E. Chernosvitov). All of these patients complained
of weakness, anxiety and astheno-hypochondrical sensations,
flabbiness, dizziness, headache, insomnia, cardiac and
intestinal pains, constipation, renal cramps, impotentia and
absence of libido and decline of weight. However, there was
no real organic somatic nature to their complaints.
The patients were dying during 10-15 years.
At present 15 of
them in the mean age of 40 were died
from unexpected cardiac (heart) attack. Five
patients were committed suicide.
As well seven patients
were died from gastric (stomach) cancer and thirteen from
lung cancer.
Sixteen patients are alive
and continue
to be observed. All of them suffer from
invalidity (apathy abulia syndrome).
In our study we have nine cases of recurrent
depressive disorders and other patients with life
dissatisfaction.
Depressive symptoms were
assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the
Depressive Delusional Fears Questionnaire (DDFQ). States of
mood were measured by a visual analogue scale (VAS), the
Bright – Dark Scale (BDS) and the Profile of Mood States (POMS).
For
these patients special schemes of psychotherapeutical and
psychopharmacological treatment were created.
Combinations of rational psychotherapy, autogenic relaxation
and hypnotical suggestion with varied psychopharmacotherapy
using small doses of eglonil-sulpirid, teralen-alimemazin,
merlit-lorazepam, phenazepam, xanaxalzolam and
tofizopam-grandaxin were the most effective. At the same
time amitriptylin and anxiolitics with sedative components
(valium-diazepam and librium-chlordiazepoxid) reinforced
manifestations of astheno-hypochodrical.
