Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms in Hospitalized Patients: A 9-Year Retrospective Observational Study
Introduction: “Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms” (MUPS) defines a subgroup of patients presenting physical symptoms of unclear origin. The study aims to profile clinical and socio-demographic characteristics of patients with MUPS.Materials and Methods: This 9-years observational retrospective...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00626/full |
| _version_ | 1811278463732023296 |
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| author | Nicola Poloni Marta Ielmini Ivano Caselli Francesca Ceccon Lucia Bianchi Celeste Isella Camilla Callegari |
| author_facet | Nicola Poloni Marta Ielmini Ivano Caselli Francesca Ceccon Lucia Bianchi Celeste Isella Camilla Callegari |
| author_sort | Nicola Poloni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: “Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms” (MUPS) defines a subgroup of patients presenting physical symptoms of unclear origin. The study aims to profile clinical and socio-demographic characteristics of patients with MUPS.Materials and Methods: This 9-years observational retrospective study assesses all patients admitted between 2008 and 2016 in the divisions of neurology and gastroenterology. Socio-demographic and clinical variables were evaluated: gender, age, diagnosis or diagnostic hypothesis, presence of psychiatric comorbidities, psychiatric evaluation, pharmacological treatment, number of admissions/visits.Results: Among 2,479 neurological patients 10.1% presented MUPS. Patients were more frequently women (63.5%), with a mean age of about 50 years. Reported symptoms were headache (22.6%), seizures (8.7%), vertigo (5.9%), fibromyalgia (5.5%), paresthesia (5.1%), visual disturbances (5.1%), amnesia (3.9%). The diagnosis was somatoform disorder in 6.3% of cases, conversion disorder in 2.7%, and somatic symptom disorder in 1.5% only. 2,560 outpatients were evaluated in gastroenterology division. 9.6% (n = 248) of patients had MUPS; 62.1% of them were women. The most affected age group ranged between 15 and 45 years. The most frequent diagnoses were functional abdominal pain (50%), dysmotility-like dyspepsia (26.6%), irritable bowel syndrome (10.4%), meteorism of unknown cause (2.4%), hiccup (1.6%), burning mouth syndrome (1.2%). No patients received a diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder.Discussion: Patients with MUPS are more often women, of middle age, with self-referred specific symptomatology. While neurological patients received a diagnostic-therapeutic approach in line with the literature, gastroenterological patients mainly received antipsychotics. A more comprehensive assessment and a development of psychoeducational interventions are needed to improve patients' quality and quantity of life. |
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-10c5a4e7886a4806ada312eab02450ba |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T00:35:11Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-10c5a4e7886a4806ada312eab02450ba2022-12-22T03:10:20ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402018-11-01910.3389/fpsyt.2018.00626416739Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms in Hospitalized Patients: A 9-Year Retrospective Observational StudyNicola PoloniMarta IelminiIvano CaselliFrancesca CecconLucia BianchiCeleste IsellaCamilla CallegariIntroduction: “Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms” (MUPS) defines a subgroup of patients presenting physical symptoms of unclear origin. The study aims to profile clinical and socio-demographic characteristics of patients with MUPS.Materials and Methods: This 9-years observational retrospective study assesses all patients admitted between 2008 and 2016 in the divisions of neurology and gastroenterology. Socio-demographic and clinical variables were evaluated: gender, age, diagnosis or diagnostic hypothesis, presence of psychiatric comorbidities, psychiatric evaluation, pharmacological treatment, number of admissions/visits.Results: Among 2,479 neurological patients 10.1% presented MUPS. Patients were more frequently women (63.5%), with a mean age of about 50 years. Reported symptoms were headache (22.6%), seizures (8.7%), vertigo (5.9%), fibromyalgia (5.5%), paresthesia (5.1%), visual disturbances (5.1%), amnesia (3.9%). The diagnosis was somatoform disorder in 6.3% of cases, conversion disorder in 2.7%, and somatic symptom disorder in 1.5% only. 2,560 outpatients were evaluated in gastroenterology division. 9.6% (n = 248) of patients had MUPS; 62.1% of them were women. The most affected age group ranged between 15 and 45 years. The most frequent diagnoses were functional abdominal pain (50%), dysmotility-like dyspepsia (26.6%), irritable bowel syndrome (10.4%), meteorism of unknown cause (2.4%), hiccup (1.6%), burning mouth syndrome (1.2%). No patients received a diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder.Discussion: Patients with MUPS are more often women, of middle age, with self-referred specific symptomatology. While neurological patients received a diagnostic-therapeutic approach in line with the literature, gastroenterological patients mainly received antipsychotics. A more comprehensive assessment and a development of psychoeducational interventions are needed to improve patients' quality and quantity of life.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00626/fullsomatic symptoms disordersMedically Unexplained Physical Symptomspsychosomatic medicineconsultative psychiatrypsychosocial interventions |
| spellingShingle | Nicola Poloni Marta Ielmini Ivano Caselli Francesca Ceccon Lucia Bianchi Celeste Isella Camilla Callegari Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms in Hospitalized Patients: A 9-Year Retrospective Observational Study Frontiers in Psychiatry somatic symptoms disorders Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms psychosomatic medicine consultative psychiatry psychosocial interventions |
| title | Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms in Hospitalized Patients: A 9-Year Retrospective Observational Study |
| title_full | Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms in Hospitalized Patients: A 9-Year Retrospective Observational Study |
| title_fullStr | Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms in Hospitalized Patients: A 9-Year Retrospective Observational Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms in Hospitalized Patients: A 9-Year Retrospective Observational Study |
| title_short | Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms in Hospitalized Patients: A 9-Year Retrospective Observational Study |
| title_sort | medically unexplained physical symptoms in hospitalized patients a 9 year retrospective observational study |
| topic | somatic symptoms disorders Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms psychosomatic medicine consultative psychiatry psychosocial interventions |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00626/full |
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