Diagnostic classification and demographic features in 283 patients with somatoform disorder

Abstract

A total of 283 patients with somatoform disorder (SFD) seen in a psychiatry clinic were surveyed and their diagnostic subtypes, demographic features, and comorbidities, analyzed. The results indicate that: (i) SFD comprises 5.8% of first-visit outpatients; (ii) undifferentiated SFD (USFD) and SFD not otherwise specified (SFD-NOS) account for the majority of patients; (iii) there are 1.7-fold more women than men; (iv) age of onset is lower in patients with somatization disorder or body dysmorphic disorder and higher in patients with hypochondriasis or pain disorder; (v) the mean number of years of education was 11.2 years; and (vi) comorbid illness were seen in 24.8% of patients, and included mood disorder, anxiety disorder, and personality disorder, as well as borderline intellectual functioning and mental retardation. The data indicate that the majority of patients with SFD are given a diagnosis of residual category, such as USFD or SFD-NOS, and that the age of onset varies depending on the diagnostic subtype. SFD was more frequently seen in women, associated with comorbidities.

Treatment course and its predictors in patients with somatoform disorders: A routine outcome monitoring study in secondary psychiatric care

“…Compared with other somatoform disorder groups, our body‐dysmorphic‐disorder patients were younger, were mostly single, and had more co‐morbidity. Our results are in line with the literature (Grover et al, ; Kuwabara et al, ; Leikness et al, ; Steinbrecher & Hiller, ). Most of our patients had co‐morbid disorders, especially the combination of anxiety and mood disorders, which is also in line with other studies (Carlier et al, ; Grover et al, ; Hanel et al, ; Jank, Liegl, Böckle, Vockner, & Pieh, ; Lieb et al, ; Löwe et al, ; Means‐Christensen, Roy‐Byrne, Sherbourne, Craske, & Stein, ; de Waal et al, ).…”

“…Compared with other somatoform disorder groups, our body-dysmorphic-disorder patients were younger, were mostly single, and had more co-morbidity. Our results are in line with the literature (Grover et al, 2015;Kuwabara et al, 2007;Leikness et al, 2008;. Most of our patients had co-morbid disorders, especially the combination of anxiety and mood disorders, which is also in line with other studies (Carlier et al, 2014;Grover et al, 2015;Hanel et al, 2009;Jank, Liegl, Böckle, Vockner, & Pieh, 2017;Lieb et al, 2002;Löwe et al, 2008 Carlier et al, 2014;Maier & Falkai, 1999;de Reus, van den Berg, & Emmelkamp, 2013 Our results further showed that few variables could predict treatment course of somatoform disorders: the PSC total score, body dysmorphic disorder, and hypochondriasis were significant predictors for the course of the symptoms, whereas the PSC total score was the only significant predictor for the course of functioning.…”

Neurocognitive functioning in women presenting with undifferentiated somatoform disorders in Oman

“…Similarly, undifferentiated somatoform disorders do not constitute a homogenous group, but present high comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders. Among these disorders, anxiety and major depression are most common and are known to affect cognitive performance 11,23,41,42 …”

“…reported that approximately 8.6% of those seeking consultation had various forms of somatoform disorders 22 . Despite the well‐accepted view that certain cultural patterning may reinforce the tendency to somatize in non‐Western cultures, 5,6,23,24 no study to our knowledge has yet established whether individuals who somatize are marked with cognitive impairment. This current type of study has the potential to shed light on the cognitive impairment suffered in such a debilitating condition, which is often impervious to available treatment.…”

Association Study of 5-HT2A Receptor Gene Polymorphism with Persistent Somatoform Pain Disorder and the Efficacy of Fluoxetine

“…It's a highly prevalent disorder in the general population, especially in primary practices, and causes social, economic, and psychological impacts [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] . Despite persistent somatoform pain disorder is a chronic and disabling condition, there is a paucity of work on its etiology and treatment.…”