The influence of chronic stress on indicators of personal and situational anxiety in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis in wartime conditions

Background. The war in Ukraine has caused extremely high levels of acute and chronic stress in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases, which can affect this pathology. No one in the world has yet assessed this type of stress in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT). The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of chronic stress on indicators of personal (PA) and situational anxiety (SA) in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis in wartime conditions. Materials and methods. During the period of military aggression in Ukraine, 86 patients with AIT were examined. They were surveyed using the State-Train Anxiety Inventory. Anxiety was assessed both as a personality trait and as a state related to the current situation. AIT patients were divided into three groups: with low (group 1), moderate (group 2), and high (group 3) anxiety levels. Serum cortisol levels were determined in all participants. Results. It was found that only 37 % of patients had moderate PA. SA of moderate severity was detected in 42 % of cases. High PA and SA levels were found in 54 and 52 % of patients, respectively, while low anxiety levels — in 6 and 9 %. PA values (scores) in these groups differed significantly (group 1 — 28.0 ± 1.2; group 2 — 38.4 ± 0.7; group 3 — 57.1 ± 1.3; P < 0.05). SA did not differ significantly from the values of PA (group 1 — 36.40 ± 2.64; group 2 — 38.78 ± 0.98; group 3 — 55.80 ± 1.55; P > 0.05). However, a significant (P < 0.05) increase in anxiety levels was found with increasing age of AIT patients. Cortisol was not a significant parameter for assessing the degree of anxiety under chronic stress (P1–2 = 0.48; P1–3 = 0.77; P2–3 = 0.42). Conclusions. Most patients with AIT showed high levels of both personal and situational anxiety. Almost 40 % of participants had moderate anxiety levels and were able to make adequate decisions in the context of military operations. No significant difference was found between the parameters of SA and PA in patients with AIT against the background of military aggression. A significant increase in anxiety levels was found with increasing age in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis. Cortisol levels were not indicative of anxiety levels against the background of three years of chronic stress caused by military aggression.