Long-term Negative Psychological Impact of Presymptomatic Testing on Familial Amyloid Polyneuropathy

Abstract

This study addresses the profile of at-risk subjects whose long-term psychological impact of presymptomatic testing (PST) for Familial Amyloid Polyneuropathy (FAP) TTR V30M is negative. The sample consisted of 177 subjects, aged over 20 years that were 50% at-risk for FAP, and performed the PST at least three years ago. Participants were contacted by mail, one time only, to answer the sociodemographic questionnaire and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale of Zung (SAS), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). From the sample, 22.6% (BSI), 16.4% (SAS), and 9% (BDI) subjects presented negative psychological impact, after having performed the PST for more than 3 years. Subjects with clinically significant values in BSI, SAS, and BDI have an overlapping profile concerning the total sample, except regarding age, since clinically depressed subjects have a higher mean age. Married women or living in unmarried unions, aged between 30 and 45 years, employed, carriers, and having performed the PST test for 6-7 years are a group raising higher concern and requiring a more active role with respect to the psychological impact of the PST for FAP. The role of the clinical and health psychologist with these patients is critical in the adjustment to the presymptomatic test result as well as in adherence to the available treatments conducive to a better quality of life, in carriers.