There exists a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders in dermatological patients. However, investigators have so far evaluated psychiatric aspects of the patients suffering from several specific skin diseases, there are a few studies concerning mental health in pemphigus patients. Our objective was to evaluate mental health status, quality of life and psychological well-being of newly diagnosed pemphigus patients.

Between April 2007 and February 2008, all newly-diagnosed pemphigus patients attending the pemphigus outpatient clinic of a dermatological hospital were given a questionnaire comprising the GHQ-28 and DLQI to fill out.

Out of 283 patients, 212 complete forms were returned and analyzed. The bimodal score of GHQ ranged from 0 to 26 (Mean = 9.4) and the Likert score of GHQ ranged from 6 to 68 (Mean = 31.9). The DLQI score ranged between 0 and 30 (Mean of 13.8). A total of 157 patients (73.7%) were yielded to be possible cases of mental disorder considering GHQ-28 bimodal scores. Significant correlation between the DLQI score and bimodal and Likert scoring of GHQ-28 was detected.

Our study has depicted the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in pemphigus patients. It underlines the fact that physicians, who are in charge of care for these patients, are in an exceptional position to distinguish the psychiatric morbidity and to take appropriate measures.