Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms Research Articles

Health complaints before and at one and five years after removal of dental amalgam restorations - data from a prospective cohort study in Norway.

Health complaints attributed to dental amalgam fillings comprise both intraoral and general health complaints. There are data suggesting that patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) attributed to amalgam fillings show improvement in symptoms after removal of all amalgam fillings. However, data indicating changes of specific health complaints are limited. This study evaluated the changes of health complaints after removal of amalgam restorations in patients with health complaints attributed to dental amalgam fillings. Patients with MUPS attributed to dental amalgam (Amalgam cohort) had all their amalgam fillings removed. The participants indicated an intensity of 11 local and 12 general health complaints on numeric rating scales before the treatment and at follow-up after 1 and 5 years. The comparison groups comprising a group of healthy individuals and a group of patients with MUPS without symptom attribution to dental amalgam did not have their amalgam restorations removed. In the Amalgam cohort, mean symptom intensity was lower for all 23 health complaints at follow-up at 1 year compared to baseline. Statistically significant changes were observed for specific health complaints with effect sizes between 0.36 and 0.68. At the 5-year follow-up, the intensity of symptoms remained consistently lower compared to before the amalgam removal. In the comparison groups, no significant changes of intensity of symptoms of health complaints were observed. After removal of all amalgam restorations, both local and general health complaints were reduced. Since blinding of the treatment was not possible, specific and non-specific treatment effects cannot be separated.

Evaluation of Tools to Assess Symptoms and Symptom Severity in Patients With Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis.

A substantial portion of patients presenting to healthcare settings exhibit physical symptoms lacking clear, demonstrable organic causes. Accurate assessment of symptom severity is crucial for documenting outcomes and establishing treatment efficacy. This systematic review and narrative synthesis aims to provide researchers with insights into available and validated tools for assessing medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS). It involved comprehensive searches across electronic databases, including PubMed, Wiley, and Cochrane, adhering to PRISMA and COSMIN guidelines. The study comprised two phases: Phase 1 systematically reviewed tools for assessing MUPS symptoms and severity, while Phase 2 conducted a narrative synthesis of their measurement properties, focusing on validity and reliability. Out of 14,459 records, 191 articles were identified, leading to the recognition of 16 validated tools for assessing MUPS symptoms and severity. Most tools demonstrated excellent internal consistency and structural validity. However, the majority lacked cross-cultural validity. The choice of tools for the assessment of MUPS will assist clinicians and researchers in determining the severity of MUPS and developing a tailored treatment plan to improve the physical and psychological functioning of these patients.

Development and Validation of a Symptom Scale for Indian Patients With Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms.

Introduction Patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) account for a substantial proportion of patients visiting the outpatient department. Diagnosis of MUPS is a challenge for most physicians. An accurate diagnosis relies on obtaining a detailed history from patients regarding the nature of their symptoms, their onset, and any associated aggravating or relieving factors. This study aims to develop a symptom scale for Indian patients with MUPS. Methods The study had a mixed-method study design. Phase 1 involved designing the questionnaire using qualitative techniques, such as literature reviews, focus-group discussions, expert evaluation, and pre-testing of a Hindi and English language Likert-rated interviewer-administered scale. In phase 2, the construct validity of the questionnaire was established using quantitative approaches among 116 patients diagnosed with MUPS. Results The final questionnaire consists of 38 items, with good internal consistency (Cronbach 𝛂 = 0.916). Confirmationsampling adequacy for factor analysis was done using the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test (KMO value = 0.792) and Bartlett's test of sphericity (p < 0.001). The newly developed scale showed a Pearsoncorrelation coefficient of 0.568 (p < 0.001) with Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-15 scores. Conclusion A reliable and valid tool has been developed to assess patients' symptoms with MUPS in English and Hindi languages. This questionnaire can be used for assessment, screening, and diagnostic purposes as well as to chart longitudinal changes in patients with MUPS.

The effects of a structured communication tool in patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms: a cluster randomized trial

Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms (MUPS) are prevalent among primary care patients and frequently lead to diminished quality of life, increased healthcare costs, and decreased work participation. We aimed to examine the effects of a work-focused structured communication tool based on cognitive-behavioral therapy in patients with MUPS. In a Norwegian two-arm cluster randomized trial, the effectiveness of the structured communication tool Individual Challenge Inventory Tool (ICIT) was compared to usual care for patients with MUPS using a two-arm cluster randomized design. Enrollment period was between March 7 and April 1, 2022. Ten groups (clusters) of 103 General Practitioners (GPs) were randomized to provide the ICIT or usual care for 11 weeks. Patients received two or more sessions with their GP, and outcomes were assessed individually. Primary outcome was patient-reported change in function, symptoms, and quality of life measured by the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC). Secondary outcomes included sick leave, work-related self-efficacy (RTW-SE), health-related quality of life (RAND-36), and patient experiences with consultants (PEQ). The trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05128019). A total of 541 patients with MUPS were enrolled in the study. In the intervention group 76% (n=223) showed a significant overall improvement in function, symptoms, and quality of life as measured by the PGIC, compared to 38% (n=236) in the usual care group (mean difference-0.8 ([95% CI-1.0 to-0.6]; p<0.0001). At 11 weeks, the intervention group had a 27-percentage point decrease in sick leave (from 52.0 to 25.2), compared to 4-percentage point decrease (from 49.7 to 45.7) in the usual care group. Furthermore, compared to usual care, the intervention group reported significant improvements in work-related self-efficacy, health-related quality of life, and greater satisfaction with the communication during the consultations. No adverse events were reported. The implementation of the structured communication tool ICIT in primary care significantly improved patient outcomes and reduced sick leave among patients with MUPS. The study was funded by The Norwegian Research Fund for General Practice.

Effectiveness of a Multicomponent Group-Based Treatment in Patients with Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms: A Multisite Naturalistic Study

Psychotherapy is expected to be effective in the treatment of patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS). However, evidence is scarce. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a multicomponent treatment based on group therapy in patients with MUPS in a naturalistic setting and to explore potential predictors of the outcomes. A multisite naturalistic uncontrolled effectiveness study. A total of 290 patients with MUPS participated in group psychotherapy across seven clinical sites. Somatic symptoms, depression, anxiety, general psychotherapy outcomes operationalized as the Outcome Rating Scale (ORS) score, well-being, role functioning interference, as well as a number of pretreatment predictors were measured using a battery of self-report measures. Multilevel modeling and lasso regression with bootstrapping were used for the analysis. Medium to large pre-post effects were found for somatic symptoms, ORS, depression, anxiety, well-being, role functioning interference found in completers after controlling for site and group effects, pretreatment outcome values, and treatment length. Changes reported at 6- and 12-month follow-up were higher for most variables. No substantial pretreatment predictors of the patients’ posttreatment status were found in addition to the pretreatment level of outcome variables. Somatic symptoms seem to be less malleable in psychotherapy than psychological outcome variables. However, there was a trend of further improvement after treatment completion.RegistrationThis study was retrospectively registered with ISRCTN (Identifier 13532466).

M.U.P.S (Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms): Is the Accurate Diagnosis Necessary for the Rehab-Team?

Background: Physiatrists often treat patients with medically unexplained symptoms (MUPS), which suggest various psychiatric, psychosomatic or physical diagnoses. Some patients are finally diagnosed with somatoform, dissociative or factitious disorders, while some experience psychological factors affecting physical conditions. It happens that patients are admitted to rehabilitative medical facilities without a clear diagnosis. Apparently, there are overlapping symptoms between chronic fatigue syndrome, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), "Gulf War syndrome", fibromyalgia, CRPS, and others.Aims: To assess recognition of medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) by physicians, mostly specialists in physical and rehabilitative medicine are engaged.Methods: All information was collected from scientific database site, and derived from the authors' nearly 50 years of clinical experience.Results: Cognitive-affective disturbance, chronic muscle and joint pain, panic disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, malingering, and others can be described in the medical literature as unexplained physical symptoms.Conclusions: Treatment should comprise a multidisciplinary-integrative approach, by practitioners from medicine, psychology, allied health professionals and social work. MUPS is not a "non-disease" entity, but rather, an unexplained clinical phenomenon. Patients are entitled to benefit from the rehabilitative medicine model of treatment even if their clinical diagnosis is not accurate or clear.

Factitious disorder comorbid with borderline personality disorder and dysthymia: from medically unexplained physical symptoms to functional neurological disorder.

In this study, we introduce the concept of comorbidity between factitious disorder (FD), borderline personality disorder (BPD), dysthymia (DY), medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) and functional neurological disorder (FND) characterising patients who may tend to exaggerate physical or psychiatric symptoms of presentation to a general or psychiatric hospital with a constellation of signs that do not receive confirmation from further clinical and instrumental assessments. The similarities between these syndromes and the constant presence of borderline personality in the psychopathology make it the possible link between all these syndromes. The authors captured the typical appearance and characterisation of FD-BPD-DY-MUPS-FND (Com-1) syndrome in adult and non-forensic acute psychiatric hospitals in the United Kingdom (UK) and adjacent liaison psychiatric teams through case vignettes. Each case vignette merged similar clinical cases and was cross-analysed using information from various mental health and medical professionals and bridging primary and secondary carers' records. The findings suggest striking similarities between the syndromes making borderline personality the bridge pathology for FD, MUPS and FND. The complexity of the diagnosis of these cases is discussed in the study, together with prototypical presentations. Improving the management of these often-occurring diseases requires multidisciplinary coordination across psychiatry, general care, neurology and surgery departments.

Contrasting two improved and two unimproved cases of patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms after multicomponent treatment

ABSTRACT Objective: While some patients suffering from medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) benefit from psychological treatment, others do not. The aim of this study was to analyse both quantitative and qualitative data of four patients with MUPS (two improvers and two nonimprovers) after multicomponent treatment to find an explanation for the outcome differences. Method: Two improvers and two nonimprovers were contrasted within the explanatory sequential mixed method design. Quantitative prepost data from multiple outcome measures were combined with semistructured interviews. Findings: The analysis revealed two key processes that differentiated improvers from nonimprovers: (1) implementing lifestyle changes and (2) receiving environmental support. Furthermore, interoceptive awareness and emotional regulation may be two other important processes seen in quantitative data but not identified by patients. Conclusion: The findings of this study offer an understanding of the different impacts of selected change mechanisms in patients with MUPS, which may help clinicians deliberately aim to focus on important areas of treatment.

Changes after multicomponent group-based treatment in patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms

ABSTRACT Psychological treatments for patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) reduce somatic symptom severity only moderately. However, patients may profit from changes other than that of symptom reduction. The aim of the present study was to capture the changes that patients with MUPS experience after a multicomponent group-based treatment. Semistructured interviews with 30 patients with MUPS were undertaken after the treatment. Thematic analysis was used to identify the changes the patients reported. The changes included developing a different view of their somatic symptoms, learning how to fulfill their needs, modifying their lifestyle, and becoming open to painful experiences. The patients also noted changes in their somatic symptoms and their quality of life. Multicomponent treatment helps patients with MUPS achieve a variety of changes that reach beyond physical symptoms reduction. Patients’ symptoms often worsen after a return to normal life, which calls for continual care.

What works in the treatment of medically unexplained physical symptoms? The psychotherapist perspective

ABSTRACT People with medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) are often referred to psychotherapy, which has been shown to be modestly effective in reducing symptom severity. An investigation of clinical strategies used by experienced psychotherapists in the treatment of clients with MUPS may offer important insights into the treatment process with this challenging group of clients and help further improve the effectiveness of psychotherapy. Individual interviews with 31 psychotherapists experienced in the treatment of adult clients with MUPS were collected. The grounded theory method was used to identify clinical strategies. Clinical strategies were organized into three treatment phases. In the first phase, the psychotherapists’ intention was to draw clients who may resist the psychological view of somatic symptoms into psychotherapy. In the second phase, the psychotherapists aimed to influence the impact of the symptoms on clients’ lives. In the third phase, the psychotherapists focused on reinforcing the clients’ gains from treatment, and they remained open to treatment continuation. The clinical strategies shared by psychotherapists with diverse theoretical orientations point to common mechanisms of change in the treatment of clients with MUPS. Psychotherapists’ responsiveness to client preparedness for psychotherapy appears to be important for specifically challenging clients.

Perspectives of patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals in Indian context: A qualitative study on Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms (MUPS).

Approximately one-fourth of individuals who seek treatment in outpatient medical settings have Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms (MUPS), a prevalent medical ailment. Patients with MUPS have a considerable functional impairment, and a lower quality of life, and may also have co-occurring psychiatric conditions. Eleven Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) (four virtual and seven face-to-face) were conducted with patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals in 2021 in a tertiary care hospital in New Delhi. Thematic analysis was carried out using QSR Nvivo software. A total of 36 participants were recruited in the study, including patients with MUPS (n = 12), caregivers (n = 10), and healthcare professionals (n = 14) dealing with the patients of MUPS. Three themes were identified: burden of MUPS, symptom profile of patients with MUPS, and psychological profile of patients with MUPS. These were further categorized into eight sub-themes: prevalence, symptoms, course of illness, improvement with treatment, duration of symptoms, attribution of symptoms, psychological impact, and coping strategies. The study helped us to gain insight into the characteristics and experiences of patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals dealing with MUPS in an Indian setup. Greater awareness of MUPS and training of care providers about the occurrence, management, and referral of MUPS can be beneficial.

Mercury, silver and selenium in serum before and after removal of amalgam restorations: results from a prospective cohort study in Norway

Objective A prospective cohort study on changes of health complaints after removal of amalgam restorations was carried out at the request of the Norwegian Directorate of Health. The aim was to provide and evaluate experimental treatment to patients with health complaints attributed to dental amalgam fillings. Methods Patients (n = 32) with medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS), which were attributed to dental amalgam restorations had all their amalgam restorations removed and replaced with other dental restorative materials. Samples of blood were collected before and 1 year after removal of the fillings, and concentration of inorganic mercury (I-Hg), methylmercury (MeHg), silver (Ag) and selenium (Se) in serum was determined by inductively coupled plasma–sector field mass spectrometry. The comparison groups (one with MUPS but without attribution to amalgam [n = 28] and one group of healthy individuals [n = 19]) received no treatment. The participants responded to questionnaires at baseline and at follow-up after 1 and 5 years. Results Concentration of I-Hg and Ag in serum decreased significantly after removal of all amalgam restorations. Concentration of MeHg and Se in serum were not changed. Intensity of health complaints was significantly reduced after amalgam removal, but there were no statistically significant correlations between exposure indicators and health complaints. Conclusions Removal of all amalgam restorations is followed by a decrease of concentration of I-Hg and Ag in serum. The results support the hypothesis that exposure to amalgam fillings causes an increase of the daily dose of both I-Hg and Ag. Even though intensity of health complaints decreased after removal of all amalgam restorations there was no clear evidence of a direct relationship between exposure and health complaints. Trial registration: The project is registered at Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01682278).

Dutch integrative medicine physicians can improve quality of life of patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms - A cross-sectional observational study

Integrative Medicine (IM) is a well-established patient centered health care vision which might benefit patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS). Case reports were collected from patients with MUPS treated by IM physicians in the Netherlands in order to illustrate IM treatment approaches and demonstrate potential benefits to patients. Case reports were classified according to the CARE guidelines from IM physicians who are members of the Medical Doctors Association for Integrative Medicine (AVIG). Data are presented and the quality was assessed using the JBI tool for case reports. 21 case reports were submitted by 14 IM physicians, most of high quality. Most patients presented with multiple symptoms, of which the most frequently reported were pain ( n = 14) and fatigue ( n = 7). The average duration of the symptoms before the first consultation with the IM physician was 36 months (range 1.5 weeks up to 11 years). The average treatment duration was 20 months (range instantaneous up to 10 years). The most frequently used treatment modalities were supplements ( n = 8), homeopathy ( n = 5), neural therapy ( n = 4), dietary advice ( n = 4). The causality between the IM treatment and the outcome was judged to be very likely in 10 of the case reports, likely in 5 cases, possible in 1 case, unclear in 1 case and could have been the result of natural disease development in 4 of the cases. The case reports demonstrate that Integrative Medicine provides a highly personalized approach which may be beneficial for MUPS patients.

Is amalgam removal in patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms cost-effective? A prospective cohort and decision modelling study in Norway.

There are many patients in general practice with health complaints that cannot be medically explained. Some of these patients attribute their health complaints to dental amalgam restorations. This study examined the cost-effectiveness of the removal of amalgam restorations in patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) attributed to amalgam fillings compared to usual care, based on a prospective cohort study in Norway. Costs were determined using a micro-costing approach at the individual level. Health outcomes were documented at baseline and approximately two years later for both the intervention and the usual care using EQ-5D-5L. Quality adjusted life year (QALY) was used as a main outcome measure. A decision analytical model was developed to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness of the intervention. Both probabilistic and one-way sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the impact of uncertainty in costs and effectiveness. In patients who attribute health complaints to dental amalgam restorations and fulfil the inclusion and exclusion criteria, amalgam removal is associated with modest increase in costs at societal level as well as improved health outcomes. In the base-case analysis, the mean incremental cost per patient in the amalgam group was NOK 19 416 compared to the MUPS group, while mean incremental QALY was 0.119 with a time horizon of two years. Thus, the incremental costs per QALY of the intervention was NOK 162 680, which is usually considered cost effective in Norway. The estimated incremental cost per QALY decreased with increasing time horizon, and amalgam removal was found to be cost saving over both 5 and 10 years. This study provides insight into the costs and health outcomes associated with the removal of amalgam restorations in patients who attribute health complaints to dental amalgam fillings, which are appropriate instruments to inform health care priorities.

Psychological interventions for medically unexplained physical symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveIndividuals seeking treatment for physical symptoms having unknown etiology are common in the primary healthcare setup. Factors such as biomedical, environmental, social, and psychological ones are expected to play an important role in the treatment of Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms (MUPS). Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the efficacy of psychological interventions for the treatment of MUPS. MethodStudies were selected using different electronic databases (PubMed, Wiley, Cochrane), to identify RCTs published in the last 11 years on psychological interventions to treat MUPS. A total of 12 studies were finalized for systematic review and 7 for meta-analysis based on the inclusion criteria. The risk of bias was assessed by the two reviewers independently using the criteria outlined in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. OpenMeta[Analyst] was used to perform meta-analysis. ResultsThe findings revealed that psychological interventions can possibly be effective in treating patients with MUPS. Somatic symptom severity and depression improved in the intervention groups as compared to controls, while anxiety, and physical and mental component summary of Short-Form General Health Survey 36 did not significantly improve in the intervention group. ConclusionA tailored module including psychological interventions to deal with these patients in primary care may be useful in improving the overall functioning of the individuals.

Mechanisms of change in multicomponent group-based treatment for patients suffering from medically unexplained physical symptoms

Objective: Understanding psychological mechanisms of change is essential to advance treatments for patients suffering from medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS). This study aimed to test the role of selected change mechanisms (incl. interoceptive awareness, emotional regulation skills, symptom acceptance, relational needs satisfaction, clarification of meaning, working alliance, and group cohesion) in the modification of patients’ somatic symptom intensity and well-being. Method: N = 290 patients suffering from MUPS participated in a multi-component group-based treatment at seven clinical sites. Data were collected weekly. Multi-level modeling was used to test cross-lagged relationships between the hypothesized mechanisms and outcomes in terms of Granger causality (with lags of 1, 2, and 3 weeks). Results: None of the mechanisms predicted a time-lagged change in outcomes in the expected direction. In fact, there was a consistent pattern of negative time-lagged relationships (i.e., an increase in a mechanism predicted worsening of the outcome). Findings consistent with the hypothesized role of the mechanisms were found only in concurrent relationships between mechanisms and outcomes. Conclusion: This study did not support time-lagged relationships under the condition of weekly measurement and many methodological factors remain to be considered (e.g., a finer time resolution).

Experiences with a structured conversation tool: a qualitative study on feasibility in general practice in Norway

Objective To study the feasibility of a structured conversation tool (ICIT) in Norwegian general practice. Design and participants A structured conversation tool with elements from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) was developed for use at the encounter in general practice to increase patient’s self-coping ability and the GPs management and sick leave assessment in patients with MUPS. Eight GPs received training and used the ICIT on 49 patients with MUPS. The physicians were gathered into two focus groups. The interviews were recorded on tape, transcribed, and analyzed with systematic text condensation. Main outcome measures The aim of our study was to examine any benefit and the feasibility of the ICIT in general practice. Results The physicians found the ICIT helpful to sort out, clarify and concretize the patients' issues. They felt less fatigued as patients took on a greater responsibility for their own recovery and reported a greater satisfaction and better management with the patients. A salutogenic approach gave the physicians greater insight into their patients’ lives and their issues, opening for new treatment options and aiding in recovery. By focusing on the patient’s potential capabilities despite their medical condition, some physicians experienced that patients on sick leave returned to work quicker. Conclusions The GPs in this study reported that the ICIT was helpful in consultations with patients due to unspecific medical conditions and facilitated a sense of competence for the physician. KEY POINTS GPs need communication skill training for integrated treatment and sick leave assessment for patients with Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms (MUPS). •The GPs experienced that the structured conversation tool was beneficial in structuring, clarifying, and substantiating the patient's problems. •The GPs experienced a greater insight into their patients and their issues, opening new treatment options and aiding in recovery. •The GPs experienced patients’ quicker recovery and returns to work by starting immediate treatment using the conversation tool.

Symptom attribution and stress level in patients with medically unexplained symptoms in a Mexican emergency department.

Patients who come to the emergency department are different from those seen in outpatient clinics. The former suffer greater stress. Establish an association between the attribution of the symptoms (psychosocial or organic) by the patient and the level of perceived stress in patients with Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms (MUS) in an emergency department. A correlational cross-sectional study was conducted in 138 patients with MUS in the emergency department of a 3rd level public hospital where the psychosocial or organic attribution of nonspecific symptom(s) by patients and the perceived stress were measured with validated scales. Bivariate analysis was performed with Chi square for categorical variables, and a Spearman correlation, p <0.05. 75% of patients with psychosocial attribution have higher stress compared to patients with organic symptom attribution (25%). In Spearman's correlation, a medium but statistically significant correlation was obtained. The psychosocial attribution of the patient's complaint might coexist in MUS patients with higher level of perceived stress by the patients. Health professionals might need to address both psychosocial attributions and stress in MUS patients.

Prevalence of Alexithymia in Patients with Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms: A Cross-sectional Study in Egypt.

Background:There is a high incidence of alexithymia in people who report medically unexplained symptoms. There have been limited studies on the prevalence of alexithymia in patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) in various ethnic and cultural backgrounds.Objective:This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of alexithymia in patients with MUPS and examine their socio-demographic data.Methods:In this cross-sectional study, 196 patients with MUPS were recruited from tertiary care internal medicine and neuropsychiatry clinics during the first quarter of 2019. Patients completed a structured interview; socio-demographic and medical history data were collected. Somatic symptom severity was assessed using the Arabic version of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15). Alexithymia was assessed using the Arabic version of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale.Results:General fatigue was the most common complaint observed, followed by headache and dyspepsia. In addition, 73.5% of patients had a high Patient Health Questionnaire score, 17.9% had somatic symptoms of medium severity, while 8% and 0.5% had low and marginal somatic symptoms, respectively. Alexithymia was presented in 49.5%, 22.9% had no alexithymia, and 27.6% had borderline/intermediate alexithymia.A weak positive correlation (r<0.4) was found between somatic symptom severity and alexithymic psychopathology (r=0.277;p<0.05). Only the ‘difficulty identifying feelings’ dimension of alexithymic psychopathology was positively correlated with the severity of somatic symptoms (r=0.271;p<0.05).Conclusion:Alexithymia is associated with the development of MUPS.

Validity and responsiveness of GHC-index in patients with amalgam-attributed health complaints

Objective Many patients have medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS); some of them attribute their health complaints to dental amalgam fillings. The aim of this study was to assess the validity and responsiveness of General Health Complaints index (GHC-index) for measuring the symptom load in MUPS patients compared to the widely used symptom outcome measure, Giessen Subjective Complaints List (GBB-24). Methods Three outcome measures – GHC-index, GBB-24, and Munich Amalgam Scale (MAS) – were administered at baseline and 12 months after removal of all dental amalgam restorations. The validity and responsiveness of these symptom measures were tested against external anchors: bodily distress syndrome (BDS), SF-36 vitality, and visual analogue scale (VAS). We tested both convergent and known group validities. We also examined the predictive validity and responsiveness to changes for each instrument. Results All the main outcome measures showed evidence of convergent and known group validities. The GHC-index, GBB-24 and MAS were all able to detect the anticipated differences in BDS and Energy. But the GBB-24 was more efficient in discriminating the BDS compared with the GHC-index (relative efficiency: RE = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.41–0.96) and MAS (RE = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.32–0.86). Each main outcome variable revealed good predictive validity for vitality (standardized coefficient: b ≈ 0.71 and R 2 ≈ 0.50). Moderate to high sensitivity to change over time was demonstrated, with GHC-index performing better. Conclusion The GHC-index is a valid and responsive instrument for assessing symptom load in MUPS patients attributing their health complaints to amalgam fillings and undergoing amalgam removal.