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Somatic Syndromes (somatic + syndrome)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Medical Sciences75%

Kinds of Somatic Syndromes

  • functional somatic syndrome
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    Selected Abstracts

    Clinical features associated with medically unexplained stroke-like symptoms presenting to an acute stroke unit

    EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 2 2005
    F. S. Nazir
    In many areas of secondary care, symptoms unexplained by disease account for around one-third of all patients seen. We sought to investigate patients presenting with medically unexplained stroke-like symptoms to identify distinguishing features which may help to identify a non-organic aetiology. Patients given a discharge diagnosis of medically unexplained stroke-like symptoms over the preceding 11 years were identified retrospectively from a prospectively completed stroke unit database. Age- and sex-matched controls with ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke or transient ischaemic attack were also identified. Clinical features on presentation, ischaemic risk factors, alcohol history, marital status and history of depression or anxiety were examined. Previous or subsequent admissions with medically unexplained syndromes were also examined via record linkage with hospital discharge records. A medically unexplained syndrome was assumed to be present if an International Classification of Diseases 9 discharge code for one or more of the thirteen conditions forming recognized functional syndromes was given. Logistic regression was applied to determine predictors of non-organicity. One hundred and five patients and controls, 1.6% of all stroke unit admissions were identified, 62% (65 patients) were females. Mean age was 50.3 ± 14.9. Compared with age- and sex-matched controls patients with medically unexplained stroke-like symptoms were significantly more probable to have a headache at presentation (47% vs. 26%, P = 0.0004), have a diagnosis of one or more additional medically unexplained syndromes (24% vs. 11%, P = 0.007) but significantly less probable to present with symptoms of vertebrobasilar dysfunction (32% vs. 61%, P < 0.0001). A history of anxiety or depression, as recorded in the notes, was not found to be associated with a medically unexplained presentation. Medically unexplained stroke-like presentations are common (1.6% of all stroke presentations), they are most strongly predicted by the presence of other functional somatic syndromes, headache and the absence of symptoms of vertebrobasilar dysfunction. [source]

    Patients presenting with somatic complaints: epidemiology, psychiatric co-morbidity and management

    INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 1 2003
    Kurt Kroenke MD
    Abstract Somatic symptoms are the leading cause of outpatient medical visits and also the predominant reason why patients with common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety initially present in primary care. At least 33% of somatic symptoms are medically unexplained, and these symptoms are chronic or recurrent in 20% to 25% of patients. Unexplained or multiple somatic symptoms are strongly associated with coexisting depressive and anxiety disorders. Other predictors of psychiatric co-morbidity include recent stress, lower self-rated health and higher somatic symptom severity, as well as high healthcare utilization, difficult patient encounters as perceived by the physician, and chronic medical disorders. Antidepressants and cognitive-behavioural therapy are both effective for treatment of somatic symptoms, as well as for functional somatic syndromes such as irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, pain disorders, and chronic headache. A stepped care approach is described, which consists of three phases that may be useful in the care of patients with somatic symptoms. Copyright © 2003 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source]

    The burden and determinants of dysmenorrhoea: a population-based survey of 2262 women in Goa, India

    BJOG : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 4 2006
    V Patel
    Objective, To describe the prevalence and determinants of dysmenorrhoea, the most common menstrual complaint, in a community in India. Design, Cross-sectional survey. Setting, Catchment area of primary health centre in Goa, India. Population, Three thousand women aged 18,45 years randomly selected. A total of 2494 women consented to participate (83.1%). Methods, Eligible participants were asked standardised questions regarding menstrual complaints over the past 12 months, and socio-demographic, psychosocial and reproductive risk factors. Vaginal or urine specimens were collected for the diagnosis of reproductive tract infections. Main outcome measures, Dysmenorrhoea of moderate to severe intensity. Results, A total of 2262 women were eligible. More than half reported dysmenorrhoea; moderate to severe dysmenorrhoea was reported by 755 participants (33.4%, 95% CI 31.4,35.4). There was a linear association between severity of pain and impact (medication and taking rest) and the onset of pain (premenstrual onset associated with more severe pain). On multivariate analyses, the risk of moderate,severe dysmenorrhoea was associated with the experience of violence (OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.5,34); other somatic complaints (OR 3.67, 95% CI 2.7,4.9 for highest somatoform symptom score category compared with the lowest); gynaecological complaints (non-menstrual lower abdominal pain: OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.3,2.3; dysuria: OR 1.98, 1.4,2.7); menorrhagia (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.4,2.6); and illiteracy (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.0,1.7). Having had a pregnancy (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.4,0.7), older age of menarche (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.5,0.9, for age >14 compared with <13 years) and older age (OR 0.43, 0.3,0.6 for age 40,50, compared with 18,24 years) were protective. Conclusions, The burden of dysmenorrhoea is greater than any other gynaecological complaint, and is associated with significant impact. Social disadvantage, co-morbidity with other somatic syndromes and reproductive factors are determinants of this complaint. [source]

    Anxiety Disorder Presentations in Asian Populations: A Review

    CNS: NEUROSCIENCE AND THERAPEUTICS, Issue 3 2009
    Devon E. Hinton
    This article reviews typical anxiety presentations in Asia, and among Asian refugees. In Asia, there are multiple functional somatic syndromes that are common anxiety presentations. These distress syndromes often produce catastrophic cognitions about anxiety-type somatic and psychological symptoms. These functional somatic syndromes should be understood, and specifically assessed and addressed, in order to optimize the evaluation and treatment of anxiety disorders among Asian individuals. [source]