Multiple somatic symptoms predict impaired health status in functional somatic syndromes

F. H. Creed; B. Tomenson; C. Chew-Graham; G. J. MacFarlane; I. Davies; J. Jackson; A. Littlewood; J. McBeth

doi:10.1007/s12529-012-9257-y

Multiple somatic symptoms predict impaired health status in functional somatic syndromes

F. H. Creed^*, B. Tomenson, C. Chew-Graham, G. J. MacFarlane, I. Davies, J. Jackson, A. Littlewood, J. McBeth

^*Corresponding author for this work

University of Manchester

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

47 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: The relationship between functional somatic syndromes and multiple somatic symptoms is unclear.

Purpose: We assessed whether the number of somatic symptoms is a predictor of health status in three functional somatic syndromes (FSS).

Methods: In a population-based study of 990 UK adults we assessed chronic widespread pain (CWP), chronic fatigue (CF) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) by questionnaire and medical record data. We assessed health status (Short Form 12 and EQ-5D), number of somatic symptoms (Somatic Symptom Inventory) and anxiety/depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) both at baseline and at follow-up 1 year later.

Results: The proportion of people with an FSS who also have multiple somatic symptoms (52-55 %) was similar in the three functional syndromes. The presence of multiple somatic symptoms was associated with more impaired health status both at baseline and at follow-up. This finding was not explained by severity of FSS. In the absence of multiple somatic symptoms, the health status of the FSS was fair or good. In multiple regression analysis, the number of somatic symptoms, the presence of a functional syndrome (CWP or CF) and anxiety/depression were predictors of EQ-5D thermometer at follow-up after adjustment for confounders.

Conclusions: Multiple somatic symptoms in people with an FSS are associated with impaired health status and this cannot be explained by more severe functional syndrome or the presence of anxiety and depression.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	194-205
Number of pages	12
Journal	International Journal of Behavioral Medicine
Volume	20
Issue number	2
Early online date	30 Aug 2012
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-012-9257-y
Publication status	Published - Jun 2013

Bibliographical note

Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the participants in the project and to the General Practitioners who facilitated it. The study was funded by the UK Medical Research Council. The UK MRC had no role in study design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; and preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript.

Keywords

Chronic fatigue
Chronic widespread pain
Functional somatic syndromes
Health status
Irritable bowel syndrome
Somatisation

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title = "Multiple somatic symptoms predict impaired health status in functional somatic syndromes",

abstract = "Background: The relationship between functional somatic syndromes and multiple somatic symptoms is unclear. Purpose: We assessed whether the number of somatic symptoms is a predictor of health status in three functional somatic syndromes (FSS). Methods: In a population-based study of 990 UK adults we assessed chronic widespread pain (CWP), chronic fatigue (CF) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) by questionnaire and medical record data. We assessed health status (Short Form 12 and EQ-5D), number of somatic symptoms (Somatic Symptom Inventory) and anxiety/depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) both at baseline and at follow-up 1 year later. Results: The proportion of people with an FSS who also have multiple somatic symptoms (52-55 %) was similar in the three functional syndromes. The presence of multiple somatic symptoms was associated with more impaired health status both at baseline and at follow-up. This finding was not explained by severity of FSS. In the absence of multiple somatic symptoms, the health status of the FSS was fair or good. In multiple regression analysis, the number of somatic symptoms, the presence of a functional syndrome (CWP or CF) and anxiety/depression were predictors of EQ-5D thermometer at follow-up after adjustment for confounders. Conclusions: Multiple somatic symptoms in people with an FSS are associated with impaired health status and this cannot be explained by more severe functional syndrome or the presence of anxiety and depression.",

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author = "Creed, {F. H.} and B. Tomenson and C. Chew-Graham and MacFarlane, {G. J.} and I. Davies and J. Jackson and A. Littlewood and J. McBeth",

note = "Acknowledgements We are grateful to the participants in the project and to the General Practitioners who facilitated it. The study was funded by the UK Medical Research Council. The UK MRC had no role in study design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; and preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript.",

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AU - Creed, F. H.

AU - Tomenson, B.

AU - Chew-Graham, C.

AU - MacFarlane, G. J.

AU - Davies, I.

AU - Jackson, J.

AU - Littlewood, A.

AU - McBeth, J.

N1 - Acknowledgements We are grateful to the participants in the project and to the General Practitioners who facilitated it. The study was funded by the UK Medical Research Council. The UK MRC had no role in study design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; and preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript.

PY - 2013/6

Y1 - 2013/6

N2 - Background: The relationship between functional somatic syndromes and multiple somatic symptoms is unclear. Purpose: We assessed whether the number of somatic symptoms is a predictor of health status in three functional somatic syndromes (FSS). Methods: In a population-based study of 990 UK adults we assessed chronic widespread pain (CWP), chronic fatigue (CF) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) by questionnaire and medical record data. We assessed health status (Short Form 12 and EQ-5D), number of somatic symptoms (Somatic Symptom Inventory) and anxiety/depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) both at baseline and at follow-up 1 year later. Results: The proportion of people with an FSS who also have multiple somatic symptoms (52-55 %) was similar in the three functional syndromes. The presence of multiple somatic symptoms was associated with more impaired health status both at baseline and at follow-up. This finding was not explained by severity of FSS. In the absence of multiple somatic symptoms, the health status of the FSS was fair or good. In multiple regression analysis, the number of somatic symptoms, the presence of a functional syndrome (CWP or CF) and anxiety/depression were predictors of EQ-5D thermometer at follow-up after adjustment for confounders. Conclusions: Multiple somatic symptoms in people with an FSS are associated with impaired health status and this cannot be explained by more severe functional syndrome or the presence of anxiety and depression.

AB - Background: The relationship between functional somatic syndromes and multiple somatic symptoms is unclear. Purpose: We assessed whether the number of somatic symptoms is a predictor of health status in three functional somatic syndromes (FSS). Methods: In a population-based study of 990 UK adults we assessed chronic widespread pain (CWP), chronic fatigue (CF) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) by questionnaire and medical record data. We assessed health status (Short Form 12 and EQ-5D), number of somatic symptoms (Somatic Symptom Inventory) and anxiety/depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) both at baseline and at follow-up 1 year later. Results: The proportion of people with an FSS who also have multiple somatic symptoms (52-55 %) was similar in the three functional syndromes. The presence of multiple somatic symptoms was associated with more impaired health status both at baseline and at follow-up. This finding was not explained by severity of FSS. In the absence of multiple somatic symptoms, the health status of the FSS was fair or good. In multiple regression analysis, the number of somatic symptoms, the presence of a functional syndrome (CWP or CF) and anxiety/depression were predictors of EQ-5D thermometer at follow-up after adjustment for confounders. Conclusions: Multiple somatic symptoms in people with an FSS are associated with impaired health status and this cannot be explained by more severe functional syndrome or the presence of anxiety and depression.

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KW - Chronic widespread pain

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KW - Irritable bowel syndrome

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ER -

Multiple somatic symptoms predict impaired health status in functional somatic syndromes

Abstract

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Keywords

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