Kristina Glise|Gunnar Ahlborg|Ingibjörg H. Jonsdottir
Prevalence and course of somatic symptoms in patients with stress-related exhaustion: does sex or age matter
University of Gothenburg|University of Gothenburg|University of Gothenburg
mental somatic symptoms commonly reported patients stressrelated problems explored prevalence somatic symptoms patients seeking medical care stressrelated mental health problems followed course illness alongside patients receive multimodal treatmentthis study comprises data 228 patients 69 women mean age 43 years fulfilled criteria exhaustion disorder ed somatic symptoms assessed baseline 3 6 12 18 months using onepage questionnaire primary care evaluation mental disorders prevalence different symptoms compared men women patients 40 years age possible predictors recovery exploredtiredness low energy core symptom reported patients almost 98 reported least one somatic symptom 45 reported six symptoms similar men women nausea gas indigestion common symptoms 67 followed headaches 65 dizziness 57 number symptoms reported significantly related severity mental health problems difference sexes chest pain pain problems sexual intercourse common among males patients forty often reported pain arms legs joints knees hips also symptom significantly decline treatment neither sex age symptom duration seeking medical care education predictor tested shown predict recovery patients reporting six symptoms morea heavy burden somatic symptoms generally seen patients stressrelated exhaustion somatic symptoms equally common males females younger older patients somatic symptoms seem mostly stressrelated since symptoms except musculoskeletal pain reduce individualised treatment designed stressrelated mental problems study brings attention complicated burden somatic mental symptoms patients stressrelated exhaustion raising several clinical implications interest discuss