Kasi LS, Moorthy B. A Case Report on Care-Seeking Type Illness Anxiety Disorder after COVID-19 Infection.
Case Rep Psychiatry 2023;
2023:3003499. [PMID:
38156027 PMCID:
PMC10754632 DOI:
10.1155/2023/3003499]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
This case report highlights the diagnostic challenges presented by the overlapping symptoms of illness anxiety disorder (IAD) and long COVID-19 (LC-19). This case report focuses on a 58-year-old woman with care-seeking type IAD in the context of LC-19-associated symptoms. The patient experienced mild COVID-19 in August 2021. Since then, she has reported an increase in LC-19-associated symptoms, including cognitive deficits, breathlessness, fatigue, and anosmia. Despite largely normal laboratory results, imaging, and physical examinations, the patient's distress and care-seeking behaviors persisted, resulting in the diagnosis of IAD. Accurately differentiating between LC-19 and IAD is crucial for appropriate patient care. We discuss the importance of recognizing and treating IAD in patients with LC-19-associated symptoms and the need for further research on the correlation between IAD and both COVID-19 and LC-19.
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