A South African review of routinely-collected health data of psychogenic nonepileptic seizure patients referred to psychiatrists in Johannesburg.
Epilepsy Behav
; 114(Pt A): 107578, 2021 01.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33268018
ABSTRACT
Patients with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are often referred to psychiatrists for treatment of functional neurological symptom disorder (FNSD). However, not all patients with FNSD have an identified psychiatric comorbidity [1]. The aim of this observational study was to characterize the clinical and psychiatric features of patients with PNES from Johannesburg, South Africa, where a high frequency of PNES has been reported [2], and compare these findings to other reports. We hypothesized that patient outcomes regarding treatment adherence and episode frequency would improve when treated within a closed multidisciplinary team. The data included a retrospective record review of patients diagnosed with PNES from an epilepsy monitoring unit and referred for psychiatric assessment and treatment between November 2013 and July 2017. Fifty-nine cases met the criteria for the study. There were 7 male and 52 female participants, aged between 14 and 72â¯years (Mâ¯=â¯33.76, SDâ¯=â¯13.88). The most frequently reported comorbid symptoms were anxiety (90%); dissociative symptoms (51%); headaches (76%) and gastrointestinal symptoms (36%). Important patient characteristics included past substance abuse (76%); impaired attachment (86%); past trauma (69%) and sexual trauma (29%). Generalized anxiety disorder (76%), major depressive disorder (64%) and PTSD (22%) were the most prevalent psychiatric diagnoses. After receiving psychiatric treatment, 47% of patients experienced a decrease in the frequency of episodes, while 86% became aware of the precipitants of their episodes. Psychiatric data can valuably inform current theories of PNES management. This study contributes to the understanding of comorbid, aetiological, and prognostic factors that are crucial to refining coherent models that will guide practice.
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Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Psiquiatria
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Transtorno Depressivo Maior
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
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Observational_studies
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Prognostic_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adolescent
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Adult
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Aged
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
País/Região como assunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article