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Somatization Disorder and Hypochondriasis: As Like As Two Peas?

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Somatization Disorder and Hypochondriasis: As Like As Two Peas? Kırpınar et al. 165 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Araştırma / Original article Somatization disorder and hypochondriasis: as like as two peas? İsmet KIRPINAR,1 Erdem DEVECİ,2 Alperen KILIÇ,3 Demet ZİHNİ ÇAMUR3 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT Objective: Although the DSM-IV has provided some criteria for differential diagnosis of Hypochondriasis and Soma- tization Disorder, the differences between these disorders have rarely been studied. This study aimed to compare demographic and psychometric properties between hypochondriasis and somatization disorder. Methods: We investigated a sample of 100 patients aged 18-65 years who had been consecutively diagnosed as having hypo- chondriasis or somatization disorder via the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I). The patients completed a battery of scales to measure anxiety, depression, dissociation, and somatosensorial amplifica- tion levels. Results: The only statistically significant difference between the two groups was in terms of health anxi- ety. The mean Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI) score was higher in the hypochondriasis group. No differences arose between the two groups in terms of other psychometric properties. Conclusions: Our results show that except for health anxiety levels, hypochondriasis and somatization disorder are similar in terms of psychological variables. The higher health anxiety levels in the hypochondriasis group support the opinions about the necessity of new cate- gorization in these disorders. (Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry 2016; 17(3):165-173) Keywords: hypochondriasis, somatization disorder, differential diagnosis, health anxiety Somatizasyon bozukluğu ve hipokondriyazis: Bir elmanın iki yarısı mı? ÖZ Amaç: DSM-IV, hipokondriyazis ve somatizasyon bozukluğu ayırıcı tanısı için bazı ölçütler sağlamış olsa da, bu bozukluklar arasındaki farklılıklar ender çalışılmıştır. Bu çalışma hipokondriyazis ve somatizasyon bozukluğu arasındaki demografik ve psikometrik özellikleri karşılaştırmayı amaçlamaktadır. Yöntem: Structured Clinical Inter- view for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) aracılığı ile ardışık olarak Hipokondriyazis ve Somatizasyon Bozukluğu tanısı alan 18-65 yaşlarındaki 100 hastayı inceledik. Hastalar anksiyete, depresyon, disosiyasyon ve somatosensor- yel amplifikasyonu ölçen bir ölçek bataryasını tamamladılar. Results: İki grup arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı tek farklılık sağlık anksiyetesi açısındandı. Ortalama Sağlık Anksiyetesi Ölçeği puanı hipokondriyazis grubunda yüksekti. İki grup arasında diğer psikometrik özellikler açısından farklılık yoktu. Conclusion: Sonuçlarımız, hipo- kondriyazis ve somatoform bozukluğun sağlık anksiyetesi düzeyleri dışında psikolojik değişkenler açısından benzer olduğunu göstermektedir. Hipokondriyazis grubundaki yüksek anksiyete düzeyleri, bu bozukluklarda yeni bir kate- gorizasyonun gerekli olduğu görüşlerini desteklemektedir. (Anadolu Psikiyatri Derg 2016; 17(3):165-173) Anahtar sözcükler: Hipokondriyazis, somatizasyon bozukluğu, ayırıcı tanı, sağlık anksiyetesi _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Somatoform disorders have been defined as a group of disorders characterized by multiple _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 Prof. Dr., 2 Assist. Prof. Dr., 3 Res. Assist., Department of Psychiatry, Bezmiâlem Vakif University, İstanbul, Turkey Yazışma Adresi / Correspondence address: Prof. Dr. İsmet KIRPINAR, Bezmiâlem Vakıf Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Psikiyatri ABD, 34093 İstanbul, Turkey E-mail: [email protected] Geliş tarihi: 11.06.2015, Kabul tarihi: 23.08.2015, doi: 10.5455/apd.201002 Anadolu Psikiyatri Derg 2016; 17(3):165-173 166 Somatization disorder and hypochondriasis: as like as two peas? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ physical symptoms or the convictions not fully hypochondriasis might be understood as an explained by a general medical condition in the anxiety disorder.11,14-16 The patients with hypo- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Dis- chondriasis are characterized by a high comor- orders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV).1 Two main bidity with anxiety disorders and share common types of somatoform disorders are hypochondri- symptoms and underlying psychological mecha- asis (Hypo) and somatization disorder (SD). In nisms.6,7,16 Noyes et al., in a review of the litera- the DSM-IV, hypochondriasis is defined as ‘pre- ture from 1990 to 2005, indicated that some occupation with fear of having, or the idea that different features such as co-occurence, pre- one has, a serious disease, based on the valence rates, number of somatic symptoms, person’s misinterpretation of bodily symptoms.’ cognitive aspects, and perceived health are Somatization disorder, on the other hand, is most likely to be found in SD and Hypo.14 characterized by ‘a history of many medically Despite the prominence of uncertainty in differ- unexplained somatic complaints before age 30 ential diagnosis between Hypo and SD, the years that occur over a period of several years.’ differences have rarely been studied. There are As a consequence of criteria, hypochondriac pa- only a few direct comparisons of patients with tients suffer from numerous medically unex- hypochondriasis and somatization disorder.4,15,16 plained symptoms, and also, medically unex- Additional studies taking a categorical approach plained symptoms might cause fear of disease and comparing patients with both conditions are or at least serious doubt about one’s health also needed. This study, therefore, aimed to de- status in somatization disorder.2 Although the termine whether patients with hypochondriasis DSM-IV has provided valuable guidelines for can be discriminated from those with somatiza- differential diagnosis of SD and Hypo, many tion disorder on the basis of demographic and sources suggest considerable overlap between psychometric properties related to somatization. them. They share common clinical features such as multiple medically unexplained complaints, METHODS prominent symptoms, illness behaviour, disabili- ty, and preoccupation with health and illness.3-9 Subjects and procedure A 2009 study found that of physicians surveyed, 52% indicated extensive overlap, and an additi- The study was carried out in the Somatoform onal 38% thought that some overlap existed Disorders Unit within the Psychiatry Department across these disorders. Only, 2% of physician of Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul. We respondents felt that these were distinctly investigated a sample of 100 patients aged 18- different disorders.3 In primary care patients, 65 years who had at least completed primary somatization disorder was 5 times6 to 20 times7 school. They were consecutively diagnosed as more common in hypochondriasis patients com- Hypochondriasis or Somatization Disorder at the pared to patients who did not have hypochondri- outpatient clinic and asked to participate in a asis. Moreover, in most articles concerning the research project. They all agreed to participate two disorders, the same psychological factors in the project and gave informed consent. such as health behaviour, somatosensory ampli- After their acceptation, the patients were as- fication, and depression are considered to play sessed in the Somatoform Disorders Unit. They an important role in the etiological explanations. received a thorough physical examination, and Treatment interventions are similar with cogni- their medical charts were carefully reviewed to tive behavior therapy (CBT) and antidepressant identify those with symptoms due to any parti- medications apparently the most promising ther- cular known medical disease. The first evalua- apeutic approaches,3,4,6-8 thereby causing many tion and diagnostic assessment included a 1.5- researchers to propose that both disorders could hour interview performed by a senior research be dependent on each other or could even be assistant. The diagnoses of Hypo and SD were two aspects of the same disorder with indistinct confirmed using the Turkish version of the Struc- boundaries.3,9-12 Hence, a new diagnostic entity tured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disor- has been defined in the ‘somatic symptom and ders, Patient Edition (SCID-I).17 Excluded from related disorders’ section of DSM-5, namely the study were 11 subjects because of uncon- ‘somatic symptom disorder,’ characterized by firmed diagnoses, and 8 patients who had co- symptoms of both SD and Hypo, since these morbidity because of the high overlap rates be- disorders share common symptoms and cogni- tween somatoform disorders and other disor- tive distortions.13 Conversely, some other re- ders. Other exclusion criteria included lifetime searchers suggested that there are significant diagnosis of substance use disorder, significant differences between the two diagnoses, and Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry 2016; 17(3):165-173 Kırpınar et al. 167 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ medical history, and suicide attempt history. The The Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI) was de- final study sample consisted of 73 patients. scribed and published by Salkovskis et al.28 The Following a 1-hour interview for obtaining the HAI contains 18 items
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