Introduction: Differentiated Thyroid Cancer (DTC) is the most common malignant tumor of the endocrine system. Its prognosis is most often favorable and its management is generally based on the tripod total thyroidectomy, Iratherapy and lifetime hormone suppressive therapy of TSH. This condition can alter the patient's quality of life from the beginning of treatment and be the cause of depression.
Aim of the study: The aim of this study is to determine the sociodemographic profile and to assess the level of depression among patients referred for iratherapy in the nuclear medicine department after a total thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer.
Material and Method: We carried out an observational cross-sectional study lasting 06 months during a period from January to June 2020 in the nuclear medicine department of CHU Hassan II in Fez. The study included all new patients referred for iratherapy after total thyroidectomy with histological proof of differentiated thyroid cancer and consenting to the study. Patients were assessed using Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) on a scale adapted to the Moroccan context. Data analysis was carried out by SPSS 16 software.
Results: The study involved 36 patients with an average age of 44.41 years with extremes ranging from 22 to 86 years. The rate of depression was significantly higher in men than in women (p = 0.054). The presence of depression was not correlated with age range. In our sample 61.1% of the population were from a high social class and patients with a higher education level had a statistically significant tendency to depression noted on the Beck Depression Score (p = 0.018). 80% (n = 29) of patients had a moderate depression while 13.88% (n = 5) had a mild mood disturbance. Intermittent depression and normal examination were found in 2.7% (n = 1) patients.
Conclusion: Depression in patients newly diagnosed with DTC after total thyroidectomy remains quite common in our context with a clear predominance in males. According to our study most of the patients suffering for depression were of higher education level and high social class. It is most often a moderate depression as confirmed by the literature. It therefore appears necessary for medical and nursing staff to pay particular attention to patients who are candidates for iratherapy for DTC and to detect cases of depression early for more optimal specialized multidisciplinary management.
