1
|
Nicklas L, Albiston M, Dunbar M, Gillies A, Hislop J, Moffat H, Thomson J. A systematic review of economic analyses of psychological interventions and therapies in health-related settings. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1131. [PMID: 36071425 PMCID: PMC9450839 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08158-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This review aims to synthesise evidence on the economic impact of psychological interventions and therapies when applied to a broad range of physical health conditions. Methods The following bibliographic databases were searched for relevant articles: MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid) and PsycINFO (Ebsco). As this review was intended to update an earlier review, the date range for the search was restricted to between January 2012 and September 2018. Reference lists from the review articles were also searched for relevant articles. Study quality was evaluated using the Scottish Intercollegiate Network Guidelines (SIGN) appraisal checklists for both economic studies and Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs). When the economic analyses did not provide sufficient detail for quality evaluation, the original RCT papers were sought and these were also evaluated. Half of the papers were quality rated by a second author. Initial agreement was high and all disagreements were resolved by discussion. Results This yielded 1408 unique articles, reduced to 134 following screening of the title and abstract. The full texts of the remaining articles were reviewed by at least one team member and all exclusions were discussed and agreed by the team. This left 46 original research articles, alongside five systematic reviews. Fifty-seven per cent of the articles were deemed to be of high quality, with the remainder of acceptable quality. Fifteen different medical conditions were covered, with chronic pain (10 articles) and cancer (9 articles) being the two most investigated health conditions. Three quarters of the papers reviewed showed evidence for the cost-effectiveness of psychological interventions in physical health, with the clearest evidence being in the field of chronic pain and cancer. Conclusions This paper provides a comprehensive integration of the research on the cost-effectiveness of psychological therapies in physical health. Whilst the evidence for cost-effectiveness in chronic pain and cancer is encouraging, some health conditions require further study. Clearly, as the primary research is international, and was therefore conducted across varying health care systems, caution must be exercised when applying the results to counties outside of those covered. Despite this, the results are of potential relevance to service providers and funders. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-08158-0.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leeanne Nicklas
- NHS Education for Scotland, 2 Central Quay, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
| | - Mairi Albiston
- NHS Education for Scotland, 2 Central Quay, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
| | - Martin Dunbar
- Stobhill Hospital, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
| | - Alan Gillies
- NHS Education for Scotland, 2 Central Quay, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
| | | | - Helen Moffat
- NHS Grampian, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - Judy Thomson
- NHS Education for Scotland, 2 Central Quay, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kaur T, Ranjan P, Sarkar S, Kaloiya GS, Khan M, Aakansha, Bhatia H. Psychological interventions for medically unexplained physical symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2022; 77:92-101. [PMID: 35580397 DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2022.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Individuals 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. METHOD Studies 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. RESULTS The 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. CONCLUSION A tailored module including psychological interventions to deal with these patients in primary care may be useful in improving the overall functioning of the individuals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tanveer Kaur
- Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Piyush Ranjan
- Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
| | - Siddharth Sarkar
- Department of Psychiatry and National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Gauri Shanker Kaloiya
- Department of Psychiatry and National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Munnoo Khan
- Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, New Delhi, India
| | - Aakansha
- Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Harpreet Bhatia
- Department of Psychology, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sitnikova K, Finch AP, Leone SS, Bosmans JE, van Marwijk HWJ, van der Horst HE, van der Wouden JC. A brief cognitive behavioural intervention is cost-effective for primary care patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms compared to usual care. J Psychosom Res 2020; 138:110217. [PMID: 32920476 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.110217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the cost-effectiveness of a brief cognitive behavioural intervention for patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) provided by a mental health nurse practitioner (MHNP) in primary care in comparison with usual care. METHODS We performed an economic evaluation from a societal perspective alongside a cluster randomised controlled trial with 12 months follow-up. The primary outcome was quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Secondary outcomes were the RAND-36 physical component summary score (PCS), somatic symptom severity (Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15), and anxiety and depression symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)). Missing data were imputed using multiple imputation. We used non-parametric bootstrapping to estimate statistical uncertainty. The bootstrapped cost-effect pairs were used to estimate cost-effectiveness planes and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves. RESULTS Mean total costs in the intervention group were significantly lower than in the usual care group (mean difference - 2300€, 95% CI -3257 to -134). The mean difference in QALYs was 0.01 (95% CI -0.01 to 0.04), in PCS 2.46 (95% CI 1.44 to 3.47), in PHQ-15 -0.26 (95% CI -0.81 to 0.28), and in HADS -0.07 (-0.81 to 0.67). At a willingness to pay of 0 € per additional unit of effect, the probability of the intervention being cost-effective was 0.93 for QALYs and 0.92 for PCS, PHQ-15 and HADS scores. CONCLUSION Our intervention is cost-effective compared to usual care for patients with MUPS. Implementation of the intervention has the potential to result in a significant decline in costs. However, large scale implementation would require increased deployment of MHNPs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kate Sitnikova
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Aureliano P Finch
- EuroQol Research Foundation, Marten Meesweg 107, 3068 AV Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Stephanie S Leone
- Trimbos Institute, Da Costakade 45, 3521 VS Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Judith E Bosmans
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Harm W J van Marwijk
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, 94 N - S Rd, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9PX, United Kingdom
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Maggio J, Alluri PR, Paredes-Echeverri S, Larson AG, Sojka P, Price BH, Aybek S, Perez DL. Briquet syndrome revisited: implications for functional neurological disorder. Brain Commun 2020; 2:fcaa156. [PMID: 33426523 PMCID: PMC7784044 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcaa156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
With the creation of the Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders category of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition in 2013, the functional neurological (symptom) disorder diagnostic criteria underwent transformative changes. These included an emphasis on ‘rule-in’ physical examination signs/semiological features guiding diagnosis and the removal of a required proximal psychological stressor to be linked to symptoms. In addition, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition somatization disorder, somatoform pain disorder and undifferentiated somatoform disorder conditions were eliminated and collapsed into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition somatic symptom disorder diagnosis. With somatic symptom disorder, emphasis was placed on a cognitive-behavioural (psychological) formulation as the basis for diagnosis in individuals reporting distressing bodily symptoms such as pain and/or fatigue; the need for bodily symptoms to be ‘medically unexplained’ was removed, and the overall utility of this diagnostic criteria remains debated. A consequence of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition restructuring is that the diagnosis of somatization disorder that encompassed individuals with functional neurological (sensorimotor) symptoms and prominent other bodily symptoms, including pain, was eliminated. This change negatively impacts clinical and research efforts because many patients with functional neurological disorder experience pain, supporting that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition would benefit from an integrated diagnosis at this intersection. We seek to revisit this with modifications, particularly since pain (and a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition somatization disorder comorbidity, more specifically) is associated with poor clinical prognosis in functional neurological disorder. As a first step, we systematically reviewed the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition somatization disorder literature to detail epidemiologic, healthcare utilization, demographic, diagnostic, medical and psychiatric comorbidity, psychosocial, neurobiological and treatment data. Thereafter, we propose a preliminary revision to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition allowing for the specifier functional neurological disorder ‘with prominent pain’. To meet this criterion, core functional neurological symptoms (e.g. limb weakness, gait difficulties, seizures, non-dermatomal sensory loss and/or blindness) would have ‘rule-in’ signs and pain (>6 months) impairing social and/or occupational functioning would also be present. Two optional secondary specifiers assist in characterizing individuals with cognitive-behavioural (psychological) features recognized to amplify or perpetuate pain and documenting if there is a pain-related comorbidity. The specifier of ‘with prominent pain’ is etiologically neutral, while secondary specifiers provide additional clarification. We advocate for a similar approach to contextualize fatigue and mixed somatic symptoms in functional neurological disorder. While this preliminary proposal requires prospective data and additional discussion, these revisions offer the potential benefit to readily identify important functional neurological disorder subgroups—resulting in diagnostic, treatment and pathophysiology implications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julie Maggio
- Functional Neurology Research Group, Cognitive Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Priyanka R Alluri
- Functional Neurology Research Group, Cognitive Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sara Paredes-Echeverri
- Functional Neurology Research Group, Cognitive Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anna G Larson
- Functional Neurology Research Group, Cognitive Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Petr Sojka
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Bruce H Price
- Functional Neurology Research Group, Cognitive Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Selma Aybek
- Department of Neurology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern and Clinical Neurosciences Bern, Bern University, Switzerland
| | - David L Perez
- Functional Neurology Research Group, Cognitive Behavioral Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Leaviss J, Davis S, Ren S, Hamilton J, Scope A, Booth A, Sutton A, Parry G, Buszewicz M, Moss-Morris R, White P. Behavioural modification interventions for medically unexplained symptoms in primary care: systematic reviews and economic evaluation. Health Technol Assess 2020; 24:1-490. [PMID: 32975190 PMCID: PMC7548871 DOI: 10.3310/hta24460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The term 'medically unexplained symptoms' is used to cover a wide range of persistent bodily complaints for which adequate examination and appropriate investigations do not reveal sufficiently explanatory structural or other specified pathologies. A wide range of interventions may be delivered to patients presenting with medically unexplained symptoms in primary care. Many of these therapies aim to change the behaviours of the individual who may have worsening symptoms. OBJECTIVES An evidence synthesis to determine the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of behavioural modification interventions for medically unexplained symptoms delivered in primary care settings was undertaken. Barriers to and facilitators of the effectiveness and acceptability of these interventions from the perspective of patients and service providers were evaluated through qualitative review and realist synthesis. DATA SOURCES Full search strategies were developed to identify relevant literature. Eleven electronic sources were searched. Eligibility criteria - for the review of clinical effectiveness, randomised controlled trials were sought. For the qualitative review, UK studies of any design were included. For the cost-effectiveness review, papers were restricted to UK studies reporting outcomes as quality-adjusted life-year gains. Clinical searches were conducted in November 2015 and December 2015, qualitative searches were conducted in July 2016 and economic searches were conducted in August 2016. The databases searched included MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO and EMBASE. Updated searches were conducted in February 2019 and March 2019. PARTICIPANTS Adult participants meeting the criteria for medically unexplained symptoms, including somatoform disorders, chronic unexplained pain and functional somatic syndromes. INTERVENTIONS Behavioural interventions were categorised into types. These included psychotherapies, exercise-based interventions, multimodal therapies (consisting of more than one intervention type), relaxation/stretching/social support/emotional support, guided self-help and general practitioner interventions, such as reattribution. Evidence synthesis: a network meta-analysis was conducted to allow a simultaneous comparison of all evaluated interventions in a single coherent analysis. Separate network meta-analyses were performed at three time points: end of treatment, short-term follow-up (< 6 months since the end of treatment) and long-term follow-up (≥ 6 months after the end of treatment). Outcomes included physical and psychological symptoms, physical functioning and impact of the illness on daily activities. Economic evaluation: within-trial estimates of cost-effectiveness were generated for the subset of studies where utility values (or quality-adjusted life-years) were reported or where these could be estimated by mapping from Short Form questionnaire-36 items or Short Form questionnaire-12 items outcomes. RESULTS Fifty-nine studies involving 9077 patients were included in the clinical effectiveness review. There was a large degree of heterogeneity both between and within intervention types, and the networks were sparse across all outcomes. At the end of treatment, behavioural interventions showed some beneficial effects when compared with usual care, in particular for improvement of specific physical symptoms [(1) pain: high-intensity cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBTHI) standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.54 [95% credible interval (CrI) 0.28 to 0.84], multimodal SMD 0.52 (95% CrI 0.19 to 0.89); and (2) fatigue: low-intensity cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBTLI) SMD 0.72 (95% CrI 0.27 to 1.21), relaxation/stretching/social support/emotional support SMD 0.87 (95% CrI 0.20 to 1.55), graded activity SMD 0.51 (95% CrI 0.14 to 0.93), multimodal SMD 0.52 (95% CrI 0.14 to 0.92)] and psychological outcomes [(1) anxiety CBTHI SMD 0.52 (95% CrI 0.06 to 0.96); (2) depression CBTHI SMD 0.80 (95% CrI 0.26 to 1.38); and (3) emotional distress other psychotherapy SMD 0.58 (95% CrI 0.05 to 1.13), relaxation/stretching/social support/emotional support SMD 0.66 (95% CrI 0.18 to 1.28) and sport/exercise SMD 0.49 (95% CrI 0.03 to 1.01)]. At short-term follow-up, behavioural interventions showed some beneficial effects for specific physical symptoms [(1) pain: CBTHI SMD 0.73 (95% CrI 0.10 to 1.39); (2) fatigue: CBTLI SMD 0.62 (95% CrI 0.11 to 1.14), relaxation/stretching/social support/emotional support SMD 0.51 (95% CrI 0.06 to 1.00)] and psychological outcomes [(1) anxiety: CBTHI SMD 0.74 (95% CrI 0.14 to 1.34); (2) depression: CBTHI SMD 0.93 (95% CrI 0.37 to 1.52); and (3) emotional distress: relaxation/stretching/social support/emotional support SMD 0.82 (95% CrI 0.02 to 1.65), multimodal SMD 0.43 (95% CrI 0.04 to 0.91)]. For physical functioning, only multimodal therapy showed beneficial effects: end-of-treatment SMD 0.33 (95% CrI 0.09 to 0.59); and short-term follow-up SMD 0.78 (95% CrI 0.23 to 1.40). For impact on daily activities, CBTHI was the only behavioural intervention to show beneficial effects [end-of-treatment SMD 1.30 (95% CrI 0.59 to 2.00); and short-term follow-up SMD 2.25 (95% CrI 1.34 to 3.16)]. Few effects remained at long-term follow-up. General practitioner interventions showed no significant beneficial effects for any outcome. No intervention group showed conclusive beneficial effects for measures of symptom load (somatisation). A large degree of heterogeneity was found across individual studies in the assessment of cost-effectiveness. Several studies suggested that the interventions produce fewer quality-adjusted life-years than usual care. For those interventions that generated quality-adjusted life-year gains, the mid-point incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) ranged from £1397 to £129,267, but, where the mid-point ICER fell below £30,000, the exploratory assessment of uncertainty suggested that it may be above £30,000. LIMITATIONS Sparse networks meant that it was not possible to conduct a metaregression to explain between-study differences in effects. Results were not consistent within intervention type, and there were considerable differences in characteristics between studies of the same type. There were moderate to high levels of statistical heterogeneity. Separate analyses were conducted for three time points and, therefore, analyses are not repeated-measures analyses and do not account for correlations between time points. CONCLUSIONS Behavioural interventions showed some beneficial effects for specific medically unexplained symptoms, but no one behavioural intervention was effective across all medically unexplained symptoms. There was little evidence that these interventions are effective for measures of symptom load (somatisation). General practitioner-led interventions were not shown to be effective. Considerable heterogeneity in interventions, populations and sparse networks mean that results should be interpreted with caution. The relationship between patient and service provider is perceived to play a key role in facilitating a successful intervention. Future research should focus on testing the therapeutic effects of the general practitioner-patient relationship within trials of behavioural interventions, and explaining the observed between-study differences in effects within the same intervention type (e.g. with more detailed reporting of defined mechanisms of the interventions under study). STUDY REGISTRATION This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42015025520. FUNDING This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 24, No. 46. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Leaviss
- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Sarah Davis
- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Shijie Ren
- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Jean Hamilton
- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Alison Scope
- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Andrew Booth
- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Anthea Sutton
- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Glenys Parry
- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Marta Buszewicz
- Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London Medical School, London, UK
| | | | - Peter White
- Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wortman MSH, van der Wouden JC, Grutters JPC, Visser B, Assendelft WJJ, van der Horst HE, Olde Hartman TC. Psychosomatic therapy for patients frequently attending primary care with medically unexplained symptoms, the CORPUS trial: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials 2019; 20:697. [PMID: 31818310 PMCID: PMC6902505 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-019-3913-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are highly prevalent and pose a burden both on patients and on health care. In a pilot study psychosomatic therapy delivered by specialised therapists for patients with MUS showed promising results with regard to patient's acceptability, feasibility and effects on symptoms. The aim of this study is to establish whether psychosomatic therapy by specialised psychosomatic exercise therapists is cost- effective in decreasing symptoms and improving functioning in patients who frequently consult their general practitioner (GP) with MUS. METHODS A randomised effectiveness trial with an economic evaluation in primary care with 158 patients aged 18 years and older who are frequently consulting their GP with MUS. Patients will be assigned to psychosomatic therapy in addition to usual care or usual care only. Psychosomatic therapy is a multi-component and tailored intervention, aiming to empower patients by applying psycho-education, relaxation techniques, mindfulness, cognitive approaches and/or graded activity. Patients assigned to the psychosomatic therapy receive 6 to 12 sessions of psychosomatic therapy, of 30-45 min each, delivered by a specialised exercise or physical therapist. Primary outcome measure is patient-specific functioning and disability, measured with the Patient-Specific Functional Scale (PSFS). Secondary outcome measures are symptom severity, consultation frequency and referrals to secondary care, patient satisfaction, quality of life and costs. Assessments will be carried out at baseline, and after 4 and 12 months. An economic evaluation alongside the trial will be conducted from a societal perspective, with quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) as outcome measure. Furthermore, a mixed-methods process evaluation will be conducted. DISCUSSION We expect that psychosomatic therapy in primary care for patients who frequently attend the GP for MUS will improve symptoms and daily functioning and disability, while reducing consultation frequency and referrals to secondary care. We expect that the psychosomatic therapy provides value for money for patients with MUS. TRIAL REGISTRATION Netherlands Trial Register, ID: NL7157 (NTR7356). Registered 13 July 2018.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Margreet S H Wortman
- ACHIEVE - Centre of Applied Research, Faculty of Health, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Johannes C van der Wouden
- Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Janneke P C Grutters
- Department for Health Evidence, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Bart Visser
- ACHIEVE - Centre of Applied Research, Faculty of Health, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Willem J J Assendelft
- Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Henriëtte E van der Horst
- Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tim C Olde Hartman
- Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sitnikova K, Leone SS, van Marwijk HWJ, Twisk J, van der Horst HE, van der Wouden JC. Effectiveness of a cognitive behavioural intervention for patients with undifferentiated somatoform disorder: Results from the CIPRUS cluster randomized controlled trial in primary care. J Psychosom Res 2019; 127:109745. [PMID: 31285038 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2019.109745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 06/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the effectiveness of a cognitive behavioural intervention delivered by mental health nurse practitioners (MHNPs) to patients with undifferentiated somatoform disorder (USD), compared to usual care. METHODS We conducted a cluster randomized trial among primary care patients with USD comparing the intervention to usual care. The intervention consisted of six sessions with the MHNP. Primary outcome was physical functioning (RAND-36 physical component summary score). Secondary outcomes were the RAND-36 mental component summary score and the eight subscales; anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and somatic symptom severity (Patient Health Questionnaire-15). Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 2, 4 and 12 months. We analysed data using linear mixed models by intention-to-treat, and investigated effect modifiers. RESULTS Compared to usual care (n = 87), the intervention group (n = 111) showed an improvement in physical functioning (mean difference 2.24 [95% CI 0.51; 3.97]; p = .011), a decrease in limitations due to physical problems (mean difference 10.82 [95% CI 2.14; 19.49]; p. = 0.015) and in pain (mean difference 5.08 [95% CI 0.58; 9.57]; p = .027), over 12 months. However effect sizes were small and less clinically relevant than expected. We found no differences for anxiety, depression and somatic symptom severity. Effects were larger and clinically relevant for patients with more recent symptoms and fewer physical diseases. CONCLUSION The cognitive behavioural intervention was effective in improving pain and physical functioning components of patients' health. It was particularly suitable for patients with symptoms that had been present for a limited number of years and with few comorbid physical diseases. TRIAL REGISTRATION The trial is registered in the Dutch Trial Registry, www.trialregister.nl, under NTR4686.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kate Sitnikova
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
| | - Stephanie S Leone
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Harm W J van Marwijk
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jos Twisk
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Henriëtte E van der Horst
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Johannes C van der Wouden
- Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Payne H, Brooks SD. Medically Unexplained Symptoms and Attachment Theory: The BodyMind Approach®. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1818. [PMID: 31780974 PMCID: PMC6851196 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This article discusses how The BodyMind Approach® (TBMA) addresses insecure attachment styles in medically unexplained symptoms (MUS). Insecure attachment styles are associated with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and MUS (Adshead and Guthrie, 2015) and affect sufferers’ capacity to self-manage. The article goes on to make a new hypothesis to account for TBMA’s effectiveness (Payne and Brooks, 2017), that is, it addresses insecure attachment styles, which may be present in some MUS sufferers, leading to their capacity to self-manage. Three insecure attachment styles (dismissive, pre-occupied and fearful) associated with MUS are discussed. TBMA is described and explanations provided of how TBMA has been specifically designed to support people’s insecure attachment styles. Three key concepts to support insecure attachment styles involved in the content of TBMA are identified and debated: (a) emotional regulation; (b) safety; and (c) bodymindfulness. There is a rationale for the design of TBMA as opposed to psychological interventions for this population. The programme’s structure, facilitation and content, takes account of the three insecure attachment styles above. Examples of how TBMA works with their specific characteristics are presented. TBMA has been tested and found to be effective during delivery in the United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS). Improved self-management has potential to reduce costs for the NHS and in General Practitioner time and resources.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Helen Payne
- School of Education, University of Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Susan D Brooks
- School of Education, University of Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Liu J, Gill NS, Teodorczuk A, Li ZJ, Sun J. The efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy in somatoform disorders and medically unexplained physical symptoms: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Affect Disord 2019; 245:98-112. [PMID: 30368076 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.10.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to update and give an overview of the evidence from published literature that focused on the efficacy of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) in the management of somatoform disorders and medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS). METHODS A comprehensive literature search was carried out through an electronic search of various databases on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Primary outcome was the severity of somatic symptoms. Secondary outcomes were also measured based on severity of anxiety symptoms, severity of depressive symptoms, social functioning, physical functioning, doctor visits and the compliance with CBT, as well as follow-up visits. Effects were summarized by a random effects model using mean differences or odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS A total of 15 RCTs comprising 1671 patients with somatoform disorders or MUPS were enrolled in our systematic review and meta-analysis. The main analysis revealed that CBT could alleviate somatic symptoms: -1.31 (95% CI: -2.23 to -0.39, p = 0.005); anxiety symptoms: -1.89 (95% CI: -2.91 to -0.86; p < 0.001); depressive symptoms: -1.93 (95% CI: -3.56 to -0.31; p = 0.020); improve physical functioning: 4.19 (95% CI: 1.90 to 6.49; p < 0.001). The efficacy of CBT on alleviating somatic symptoms, anxiety and depressive symptoms were sustained on follow-up. CBT may not be effective in reducing the number of doctor visits: -1.23 (95% CI: -2.97 to 0.51; p = 0.166); and improving social functioning: 3.27 (95% CI: -0.08 to 6.63; p = 0.056). The results of subgroup analysis indicated that CBT was particularly beneficial when the duration of session was more than 50 min to reduce the severity of somatic symptoms from pre to post treatment time, when it was group based and applied affective and developed good interpersonal strategy during the treatment. Longer duration and frequency such as more than 10 sessions and 12 weeks treatments had significant effect on reduction of the comorbid symptoms including depression and anxiety, but they may underpin low level of compliance of CBT based treatments. CONCLUSIONS CBT is effective for the treatment of somatoform disorders and MUPS by reducing physical symptoms, psychological distress and disability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Liu
- The Department of Clinical Psychology & National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Neeraj S Gill
- School of Medicine, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia; Gold Coast University Hospital, Southport, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andrew Teodorczuk
- School of Medicine, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia; The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Zhan-Jiang Li
- The Department of Clinical Psychology & National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
| | - Jing Sun
- School of Medicine, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Sitnikova K, Leone SS, Zonneveld LNL, van Marwijk HWJ, Bosmans JE, van der Wouden JC, van der Horst HE. The CIPRUS study, a nurse-led psychological treatment for patients with undifferentiated somatoform disorder in primary care: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials 2017; 18:206. [PMID: 28468642 PMCID: PMC5414236 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-017-1951-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Up to a third of patients presenting medically unexplained physical symptoms in primary care may have a somatoform disorder, of which undifferentiated somatoform disorder (USD) is the most common type. Psychological interventions can reduce symptoms associated with USD and improve functioning. Previous research has either been conducted in secondary care or interventions have been provided by general practitioners (GPs) or psychologists in primary care. As efficiency and cost-effectiveness are imperative in primary care, it is important to investigate whether nurse-led interventions are effective as well. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a short cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-based treatment for patients with USD provided by mental health nurse practitioners (MHNPs), compared to usual care. METHODS In a cluster randomised controlled trial, 212 adult patients with USD will be assigned to the intervention or care as usual. The intervention group will be offered a short, individual CBT-based treatment by the MHNP in addition to usual GP care. The main goal of the intervention is that patients become less impaired by their physical symptoms and cope with symptoms in a more effective way. In six sessions patients will receive problem-solving treatment. The primary outcome is improvement in physical functioning, measured by the physical component summary score of the RAND-36. Secondary outcomes include health-related quality of life measured by the separate subscales of the RAND-36, somatization (PHQ-15) and symptoms of depression and anxiety (HADS). Problem-solving skills, health anxiety, illness perceptions, coping, mastery and working alliance will be assessed as potential mediators. Assessments will be done at 0, 2, 4, 8 and 12 months. An economic evaluation will be conducted from a societal perspective with quality of life as the primary outcome measure assessed by the EQ-5D-5L. Health care, patient and lost productivity costs will be assessed with the Tic-P. DISCUSSION We expect that the intervention will improve physical functioning and is cost-effective compared to usual care. If so, more patients might successfully be treated in general practice, decreasing the number of referrals to specialist care. TRIAL REGISTRATION Dutch Trial Registry, identifier: NTR4686 , Registered on 14 July 2014.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kate Sitnikova
- Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Stephanie S Leone
- Department of Public Mental Health, Trimbos Institute: Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, Da Costakade 45, 3521 VS, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lyonne N L Zonneveld
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Harm W J van Marwijk
- Centre for Primary Care, Institute of Population Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Judith E Bosmans
- Department of Health Sciences, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes C van der Wouden
- Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Henriëtte E van der Horst
- Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Visser MS, Zonneveld LNL, Van't Spijker A, Hunink MG, Busschbach JJV. The Cost-Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Group Training for Patients with Unexplained Physical Symptoms. VALUE IN HEALTH : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR PHARMACOECONOMICS AND OUTCOMES RESEARCH 2015; 18:570-577. [PMID: 26297084 DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2015.03.1791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2014] [Revised: 12/03/2014] [Accepted: 03/12/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral group training compared with a wait-list control for patients with unexplained physical symptoms (UPS). METHODS A probabilistic decision-analytic Markov model was developed with three health states (poor health, average health, and death) based on a cutoff score of the Physical Component Summary of the short-form 36 health survey. To assess the cost-effectiveness in terms of cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY), a societal perspective was adopted. The model consisted of cycles of 3 months and a time horizon of 4 years. Data for the model were derived from a randomized controlled trial, in which 162 patients with UPS were randomized either to cognitive-behavioral group training or to the wait-list control. Data were assessed at baseline and after the training of 3 months or after a wait-list period of 3 months. In addition, the training group was followed in an uncontrolled phase and assessed at 3 months and 1 year after the training. RESULTS After 4 years, the group training was in terms of cost-effectiveness "dominant" compared with the wait-list control; there was a positive effect of 0.06 QALYs and a €828 reduction in costs. The cost-effectiveness improved with a longer time horizon. A threshold of €30,000/QALY was passed after 18 months. The group training was cost saving after 33 months. CONCLUSIONS Cognitive-behavioral group training is a cost-effective treatment compared with the wait-list control for patients with UPS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martijn S Visser
- Department of Psychiatry, Section Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Lyonne N L Zonneveld
- Department of Psychiatry, Section Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Departments of Anesthesiology and Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Adriaan Van't Spijker
- Department of Psychiatry, Section Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Myriam G Hunink
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan J V Busschbach
- Department of Psychiatry, Section Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Leong K, Tham JC, Scamvougeras A, Vila-Rodriguez F. Electroconvulsive therapy treatment in patients with somatic symptom and related disorders. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2015; 11:2565-72. [PMID: 26504388 PMCID: PMC4605246 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s90969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Medically unexplained somatic complaints are highly prevalent, and lead to significant impairment and disability. The number of effective treatment modalities for somatic symptom and related disorders (SSDs) or somatoform disorders (SDs) remains limited. To date, there is no formal indication for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in SSD or SD. We report on the largest case series to date regarding the effectiveness of ECT in patients with SSD and SD. METHODS A retrospective chart review of all patients treated with an index course of ECT at the Neuropsychiatric Program at the University of British Columbia Hospital from 2000 to 2010 was conducted. The primary outcomes consisted of changes in pseudoneurologic symptoms, pain symptoms, cardiopulmonary symptoms, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Complaints were examined pre- and post-ECT. RESULTS Twenty-eight participants were included in this study. Twenty-one participants received right unilateral ECT. Six received bifrontal ECT. One received bitemporal ECT. Eighteen of 21 participants reported improvement in pseudoneurologic symptoms; eleven of 14 participants reported improvement in pain symptoms; one participant reported improvement in cardiopulmonary symptoms; and one of two participants reported improvement in gastrointestinal symptoms. This paper discusses the putative mechanism of action of ECT in the treatment of SD/SSD. CONCLUSION This retrospective study suggests that ECT could be included as part of the existing treatment for refractory SSD and SD, particularly in refractory cases with comorbid mood disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- KaWai Leong
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Joseph Cw Tham
- BC Neuropsychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Anton Scamvougeras
- BC Neuropsychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Fidel Vila-Rodriguez
- Non-Invasive Neurostimulation Therapies Laboratory at UBC, Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
van Dessel N, den Boeft M, van der Wouden JC, Kleinstäuber M, Leone SS, Terluin B, Numans ME, van der Horst HE, van Marwijk H. Non-pharmacological interventions for somatoform disorders and medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2014; 2014:CD011142. [PMID: 25362239 PMCID: PMC10984143 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd011142.pub2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) are physical symptoms for which no adequate medical explanation can be found after proper examination. The presence of MUPS is the key feature of conditions known as 'somatoform disorders'. Various psychological and physical therapies have been developed to treat somatoform disorders and MUPS. Although there are several reviews on non-pharmacological interventions for somatoform disorders and MUPS, a complete overview of the whole spectrum is missing. OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of non-pharmacological interventions for somatoform disorders (specifically somatisation disorder, undifferentiated somatoform disorder, somatoform disorders unspecified, somatoform autonomic dysfunction, pain disorder, and alternative somatoform diagnoses proposed in the literature) and MUPS in adults, in comparison with treatment as usual, waiting list controls, attention placebo, psychological placebo, enhanced or structured care, and other psychological or physical therapies. SEARCH METHODS We searched the Cochrane Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Review Group's Specialised Register (CCDANCTR) to November 2013. This register includes relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs) from The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PsycINFO. We ran an additional search on the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and a cited reference search on the Web of Science. We also searched grey literature, conference proceedings, international trial registers, and relevant systematic reviews. SELECTION CRITERIA We included RCTs and cluster randomised controlled trials which involved adults primarily diagnosed with a somatoform disorder or an alternative diagnostic concept of MUPS, who were assigned to a non-pharmacological intervention compared with usual care, waiting list controls, attention or psychological placebo, enhanced care, or another psychological or physical therapy intervention, alone or in combination. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Four review authors, working in pairs, conducted data extraction and assessment of risk of bias. We resolved disagreements through discussion or consultation with another review author. We pooled data from studies addressing the same comparison using standardised mean differences (SMD) or risk ratios (RR) and a random-effects model. Primary outcomes were severity of somatic symptoms and acceptability of treatment. MAIN RESULTS We included 21 studies with 2658 randomised participants. All studies assessed the effectiveness of some form of psychological therapy. We found no studies that included physical therapy.Fourteen studies evaluated forms of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT); the remainder evaluated behaviour therapies, third-wave CBT (mindfulness), psychodynamic therapies, and integrative therapy. Fifteen included studies compared the studied psychological therapy with usual care or a waiting list. Five studies compared the intervention to enhanced or structured care. Only one study compared cognitive behavioural therapy with behaviour therapy.Across the 21 studies, the mean number of sessions ranged from one to 13, over a period of one day to nine months. Duration of follow-up varied between two weeks and 24 months. Participants were recruited from various healthcare settings and the open population. Duration of symptoms, reported by nine studies, was at least several years, suggesting most participants had chronic symptoms at baseline.Due to the nature of the intervention, lack of blinding of participants, therapists, and outcome assessors resulted in a high risk of bias on these items for most studies. Eleven studies (52% of studies) reported a loss to follow-up of more than 20%. For other items, most studies were at low risk of bias. Adverse events were seldom reported.For all studies comparing some form of psychological therapy with usual care or a waiting list that could be included in the meta-analysis, the psychological therapy resulted in less severe symptoms at end of treatment (SMD -0.34; 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.53 to -0.16; 10 studies, 1081 analysed participants). This effect was considered small to medium; heterogeneity was moderate and overall quality of the evidence was low. Compared with usual care, psychological therapies resulted in a 7% higher proportion of drop-outs during treatment (RR acceptability 0.93; 95% CI 0.88 to 0.99; 14 studies, 1644 participants; moderate-quality evidence). Removing one outlier study reduced the difference to 5%. Results for the subgroup of studies comparing CBT with usual care were similar to those in the whole group.Five studies (624 analysed participants) assessed symptom severity comparing some psychological therapy with enhanced care, and found no clear evidence of a difference at end of treatment (pooled SMD -0.19; 95% CI -0.43 to 0.04; considerable heterogeneity; low-quality evidence). Five studies (679 participants) showed that psychological therapies were somewhat less acceptable in terms of drop-outs than enhanced care (RR 0.93; 95% CI 0.87 to 1.00; moderate-quality evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS When all psychological therapies included this review were combined they were superior to usual care or waiting list in terms of reduction of symptom severity, but effect sizes were small. As a single treatment, only CBT has been adequately studied to allow tentative conclusions for practice to be drawn. Compared with usual care or waiting list conditions, CBT reduced somatic symptoms, with a small effect and substantial differences in effects between CBT studies. The effects were durable within and after one year of follow-up. Compared with enhanced or structured care, psychological therapies generally were not more effective for most of the outcomes. Compared with enhanced care, CBT was not more effective. The overall quality of evidence contributing to this review was rated low to moderate.The intervention groups reported no major harms. However, as most studies did not describe adverse events as an explicit outcome measure, this result has to be interpreted with caution.An important issue was that all studies in this review included participants who were willing to receive psychological treatment. In daily practice, there is also a substantial proportion of participants not willing to accept psychological treatments for somatoform disorders or MUPS. It is unclear how large this group is and how this influences the relevance of CBT in clinical practice.The number of studies investigating various treatment modalities (other than CBT) needs to be increased; this is especially relevant for studies concerning physical therapies. Future studies should include participants from a variety of age groups; they should also make efforts to blind outcome assessors and to conduct follow-up assessments until at least one year after the end of treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikki van Dessel
- EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical CenterDepartment of General Practice and Elderly Care MedicineVan der Boechorststraat 7, room D‐550AmsterdamNetherlands1081 BT
| | - Madelon den Boeft
- EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical CenterDepartment of General Practice and Elderly Care MedicineVan der Boechorststraat 7, room D‐550AmsterdamNetherlands1081 BT
| | - Johannes C van der Wouden
- VU University Medical CenterDepartment of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, EMGO Institute for Health and Care ResearchPO Box 7057AmsterdamNetherlands1007 MB
| | - Maria Kleinstäuber
- Philipps‐University MarburgDepartment of Clinical Psychology and PsychotherapyGutenbergstr. 18MarburgHessenGermanyD‐35032
| | - Stephanie S Leone
- Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction (Trimbos Institute)Department of Public Mental HealthDa Costakade 45UtrechtNetherlands3521 VS
| | - Berend Terluin
- EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical CenterDepartment of General Practice and Elderly Care MedicineVan der Boechorststraat 7, room D‐550AmsterdamNetherlands1081 BT
| | - Mattijs E Numans
- LUMCDepartment of Public Health and Primary CarePO Box 9600LeidenNetherlands2300 RC
| | - Henriëtte E van der Horst
- EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, VU University Medical CenterDepartment of General Practice and Elderly Care MedicineVan der Boechorststraat 7, room D‐550AmsterdamNetherlands1081 BT
| | - Harm van Marwijk
- VU University Medical CenterDepartment of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, EMGO Institute for Health and Care ResearchPO Box 7057AmsterdamNetherlands1007 MB
| | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for patients with medically unexplained symptoms: process of change. J Psychosom Res 2014; 77:27-33. [PMID: 24913338 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2013] [Revised: 04/28/2014] [Accepted: 04/29/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A recent randomized controlled trial provided preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for the top 10% frequent attenders in primary care with persistent medically unexplained symptoms (MUS). This qualitative study aims to explore working mechanisms and possible barriers of MBCT in this population. METHODS Twelve participants of the trial were interviewed about their experiences. This was done before and after the MBCT course, and 12 months later. Written evaluations of participants and notes of participant observers were used for data-triangulation. RESULTS In total, 35 qualitative interviews were conducted. MBCT initiated a process of change, starting with awareness of the present moment, the associated sensory experiences, thoughts and emotions and accepting rather than resisting these. Participants started to recognize their own behavioral patterns and change them, thus improving self-care. Self-compassion seemed to result from and facilitate this process. Main barriers were concurrent social problems and the inability or unwillingness to accept symptoms. CONCLUSIONS MBCT can start a process of change in patients with persistent MUS. Awareness and acceptance of painful symptoms and emotions are key factors in this process. Change of unhelpful behavioral patterns and increased self-care and self-compassion can result from this process.
Collapse
|
15
|
Zonneveld LNL, Sprangers MAG, Kooiman CG, van 't Spijker A, Busschbach JJV. Patients with unexplained physical symptoms have poorer quality of life and higher costs than other patient groups: a cross-sectional study on burden. BMC Health Serv Res 2013; 13:520. [PMID: 24344899 PMCID: PMC3878564 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6963-13-520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2013] [Accepted: 12/09/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background To determine whether healthcare resources are allocated fairly, it is helpful to have information on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with Unexplained Physical Symptoms (UPS) and on the costs associated with them, and on how these relate to corresponding data in other patient groups. As studies to date have been limited to specific patient populations with UPS, the objective of this study was to assess QoL and costs in a general sample of patients with UPS using generic measures. Methods In a cross-sectional study, 162 patients with UPS reported on their QoL, use of healthcare resources and lost productivity in paid and unpaid work. To assess QoL, the generic SF-36 questionnaire was used, from which multidimensional quality-of-life scores and a one-dimensional score (utility) using the SF-6D scorings algorithm were derived. To assess costs, the TiC-P questionnaire was used. Results Patients with UPS reported a poor QoL. Their QoL was mostly decreased by limitations in functioning due to physical health, and the least by limitations in functioning due to emotional problems. The median of utilities was 0.57, and the mean was 0.58 (SD = .09). The cost for the use of healthcare services was estimated to be €3,123 (SD = €2,952) per patient per year. This cost was enlarged by work-related costs: absence from work (absenteeism), lower on-the-job productivity (presenteeism), and paid substitution of domestic tasks. The resulting mean total cost was estimated to be €6,815 per patient per year. Conclusions These findings suggest that patients with UPS have a high burden of disease and use a considerable amount of healthcare resources. In comparison with other patient groups, the QoL values of patients with UPS were among the poorest and their costs were among the highest of all patient groups. The burden for both patients and society helps to justify the allocation of sufficient resources to effective treatment for patients with UPS. Trial registration Nederlands Trial Register, NTR1609
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lyonne N L Zonneveld
- Department of Psychiatry, Section Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000, CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Andrade LH, Baptista MC, Alonso J, Petukhova M, Bruffaerts R, Kessler RC, Silveira CM, Siu ER, Wang YP, Viana MC. Days out-of-role due to common physical and mental health problems: results from the São Paulo Megacity Mental Health Survey, Brazil. Clinics (Sao Paulo) 2013; 68:1392-9. [PMID: 24270949 PMCID: PMC3812560 DOI: 10.6061/clinics/2013(11)02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2013] [Accepted: 05/22/2013] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate the relative importance of common physical and mental disorders with regard to the number of days out-of-role (DOR; number of days for which a person is completely unable to work or carry out normal activities because of health problems) in a population-based sample of adults in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area, Brazil. METHODS The São Paulo Megacity Mental Health Survey was administered during face-to-face interviews with 2,942 adult household residents. The presence of 8 chronic physical disorders and 3 classes of mental disorders (mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders) was assessed for the previous year along with the number of days in the previous month for which each respondent was completely unable to work or carry out normal daily activities due to health problems. Using multiple regression analysis, we examined the associations of the disorders and their comorbidities with the number of days out-of-role while controlling for socio-demographic variables. Both individual-level and population-level associations were assessed. RESULTS A total of 13.1% of the respondents reported 1 or more days out-of-role in the previous month, with an annual median of 41.4 days out-of-role. The disorders considered in this study accounted for 71.7% of all DOR; the disorders that caused the greatest number of DOR at the individual-level were digestive (22.6), mood (19.9), substance use (15.0), chronic pain (16.5), and anxiety (14.0) disorders. The disorders associated with the highest population-attributable DOR were chronic pain (35.2%), mood (16.5%), and anxiety (15.0%) disorders. CONCLUSIONS Because pain, anxiety, and mood disorders have high effects at both the individual and societal levels, targeted interventions to reduce the impairments associated with these disorders have the highest potential to reduce the societal burdens of chronic illness in the São Paulo Metropolitan Area.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Helena Andrade
- Section of Psychiatric Epidemiology - LIM 23, Department and Institute of Psychiatry, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Brettschneider C, König HH, Herzog W, Kaufmann C, Schaefert R, Konnopka A. Validity and responsiveness of the EQ-5D in assessing and valuing health status in patients with somatoform disorders. Health Qual Life Outcomes 2013; 11:3. [PMID: 23305192 PMCID: PMC3547767 DOI: 10.1186/1477-7525-11-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2012] [Accepted: 12/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The EQ-5D is a generic questionnaire providing a preference-based index score applicable to cost-utility analysis. This is the first study to validate the EQ-5D in patients with somatoform disorders. METHODS Data of the EQ-5D descriptive system, the British and the German EQ-5D index and the EQ Visual Analogue Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire 15, the Patient Health Questionnaire 9, the Whiteley Index 7 and the Short Form 36 were collected from 294 patients at baseline, 244 at 6 months and 256 at 12 months after baseline. The discriminative ability of the EQ-5D was evaluated by comparison with a general population sample and by the ability to distinguish between different symptom severities. Convergent validity was analysed by assessing associations between the EQ-5D and the other instruments. Responsiveness was evaluated by analysing the effects on scores between two measurements in groups of patients reporting worse, same or better health. The Bonferroni correction was employed. RESULTS For all items of the EQ-5D except 'self-care', patients with somatoform disorders reported more problems than the general population. The EQ-5D showed discriminative ability in patients with different symptom severities. For nearly all reference instruments there were significant differences in mean scores between respondents with and without problems in the various EQ-5D items and strong correlations with the EQ Visual Analogue Scale and the EQ-5D index scores. Evidence for the responsiveness of the EQ-5D could only be found for patients with better health; effects were medium at the utmost. CONCLUSIONS The EQ-5D showed a considerable validity and a limited responsiveness in patients with somatoform disorders. TRIAL REGISTRATION Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN55280791.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Brettschneider
- Department of Medical Sociology and Health Economics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Hans-Helmut König
- Department of Medical Sociology and Health Economics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Herzog
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claudia Kaufmann
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rainer Schaefert
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexander Konnopka
- Department of Medical Sociology and Health Economics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Zonneveld LNL, van Rood YR, Kooiman CG, Timman R, van 't Spijker A, Busschbach JJV. Predicting the outcome of a cognitive-behavioral group training for patients with unexplained physical symptoms: a one-year follow-up study. BMC Public Health 2012; 12:848. [PMID: 23039913 PMCID: PMC3549894 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-12-848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2012] [Accepted: 10/02/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is effective for Unexplained Physical Symptoms (UPS), some therapists in clinical practice seem to believe that CBT outcome will diminish if psychiatric comorbidity is present. The result is that patients with a psychiatric comorbidity are redirected from treatment for UPS into treatment for mental health problems. To explore whether this selection and allocation are appropriate, we explored whether CBT outcomes in UPS could be predicted by variables assessed at baseline and used in routine-practice assessments. Methods Patients (n=162) with UPS classified as undifferentiated somatoform disorder or chronic pain disorder were followed up until one year after they had attended a CBT group training. The time-points of the follow-up were at the end of CBT (immediate outcome), three months after CBT (short-term outcome), and one year after CBT (long-term outcome). CBT outcome was measured using the Physical Component Summary of the SF-36, which was the primary outcome measure in the randomized controlled trial that studied effectiveness of the CBT group training. Predictors were: 1.) psychological symptoms (global severity score of SCL-90), 2.) personality-disorder characteristics (sum of DSM-IV axis II criteria confirmed), 3.) psychiatric history (past presence of DSM-IV axis I disorders), and 4.) health-related quality of life in the mental domain (mental component summary of SF-36). The effect of this predictor set was explored using hierarchical multiple regression analyses into which these predictors had been entered simultaneously, after control for: a.) pretreatment primary outcome scores, b.) age, c.) gender, d.) marital status, and e.) employment. Results The predictor set was significant only for short-term CBT outcome, where it explained 15% of the variance. A better outcome was predicted by more psychological symptoms, fewer personality-disorder characteristics, the presence of a psychiatric history, and a better quality of life in the mental domain. Conclusions As the predictors do not seem to predict CBT outcome consistently over time, the need for selection and allocation of patients for CBT is doubtful. It seems that this would unnecessarily deprive patients of effective treatment. Trial registration Nederlands Trial Register, NTR1609
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lyonne N L Zonneveld
- Department of Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3000 CA, the Netherlands.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|