Coordinated care in the management of patients with unexplained physical symptoms: depression is a key issue.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the diagnosis of patients with somatisation disorders in primary care, and the effectiveness of coordinated care and evidence-based care planning on psychiatric symptoms and quality of life for these patients. DESIGN,

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS:
This was a project of the SA HealthPlus Coordinated Care Trial, comprising a randomised controlled trial of 124 subjects recruited by general practitioners in southern Adelaide. Eligible patients had a GP diagnosis of somatisation, including unexplained physical symptoms as part of anxiety, chronic pain or somatoform disorders. Diagnoses were checked using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). The study was conducted from December 1997 to December 1999.

INTERVENTION:
A care plan including treatment for depression and anxiety disorders, a containment strategy for somatisation, and service coordinator-assisted self-management. Control patients received standard treatment.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
Psychiatric symptoms; quality of life; medication use; and depression, anxiety and hostility scores.

RESULTS:
Compared with CIDI diagnoses, mood disorders in patients were underdiagnosed by GPs (64 v 31), particularly major depression (46 v 1). At 12 months, the intervention group showed reductions in depression (P = 0.002), guilt (P = 0.006) and anxiety (state, P = 0.043; trait, P = 0.001). Compared with the control group, physical role functioning improved for the intervention group (P = 0.006), and their medication use decreased by 8.9%.

CONCLUSIONS:
Conservative management, treatment of depression, and case management by service coordinators is effective in managing somatising patients in primary care. GPs require training in the diagnosis of depression and how to say "no" to patients with unexplained physical symptoms who request further unnecessary investigations or referrals.

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Author information

Author/s: Pols, Rene G (RG); Battersby, Malcolm W (MW);

Affiliation: Flinders Human Behaviour and Health Research Unit, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia. Rene.pols(-atsign-)fmc.sa.gov.au

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: The Medical journal of Australia (Med J Aust), published in Australia. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Jun; vol 188 (issue 12 Suppl) : pp S133-7

Dates: Created 2008/06/18; Completed 2008/08/05;

PMID: 18558914, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Aged
Anxiety - diagnosis; therapy
Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale
Case Management
Decision Making, Computer-Assisted
Depression - diagnosis; therapy
Family Practice

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