Somatic Symptoms linked to Chronicity, Disability & Poor QoL in Schizophrenia
An original article, "Somatic symptoms in schizophrenia: Association with socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, disability and quality of life”, published in the Indian Journal of Psychiatry, has concluded that nearly two-thirds of schizophrenia patients report somatic symptoms. Such patients were characterized by more negative symptoms, chronic nature, and probably refractoriness to treatment.
The study has highlighted Somatic symptoms as predictors of disability and poor quality of life in such patients.
The team said there is a lack of research and data regarding somatic symptoms in schizophrenia. In this study, researchers aimed to determine the prevalence and types of somatic symptoms in schizophrenia patients and assessed their association with socio-demographic and clinical characteristics.
They said, “We assessed somatic symptoms using Patient Health Questionnaire–15 (PHQ-15). A total of 93 patients with schizophrenia were diagnosed with ICD10-DCR. Other scales were used to determine psychopathology, disability, quality of life and side effects, including the Scale for Assessment of Positive Symptoms and Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms, WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0, WHO Quality of Life (BREF) Hindi version and Liverpool University Neuroleptic Side-Effect Rating Scale.
The key results of the study are:
- Sixty-two patients with schizophrenia, constituting nearly 67 %, had Significant somatic symptoms (n ≥5 on PHQ-15) present in 62 (67.7%) patients with schizophrenia.
- Forty-three patients constituting 69.4%, had mild somatic symptoms.
- Seventeen patients had moderate somatic symptoms, while only two had severe somatic symptoms.
- Researchers reported the Mean somatic symptoms score on PHQ-15 as 7.28.
- Tiredness, constipation/diarrhoea, troubled sleeping, nausea or indigestion, back pain and headache were reported by 96.8%, 76.3%, 67.7%, 61.3%, 52.7% and 51.6%, respectively.
- Those having somatic symptoms were older. These were also reported to have a longer duration of illness and treatment, and there were more negative symptoms. These patients had higher disability and life quality.
Concluding further, they said, Somatic symptoms are common in schizophrenia and are associated with chronicity, refractoriness and negative symptoms, significant disability and poor quality of life.
The researchers highlighted the importance of assessing and managing somatic symptoms in these patients.
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