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Hypochondriasis in the elderly depressed.

E Kramer-Ginsberg1, B S Greenwald, P S Aisen

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
|June 1, 1989
PubMed
Summary
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Hypochondriacal complaints are common in elderly patients with depression, often improving with treatment but sometimes persisting. These symptoms are linked to anxiety and somatic concerns, not mood or suicidality.

Area of Science:

  • Geriatric Psychiatry
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Psychopathology

Background:

  • Hypochondriacal complaints are frequently observed in elderly individuals experiencing depression.
  • A significant portion of elderly depressive patients present with somatic concerns and anxiety.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of hypochondriacal complaints in elderly patients with depression.
  • To explore the relationship between hypochondriasis and other clinical features, treatment outcomes, and medication use in this population.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of elderly patients diagnosed with depression was assessed for hypochondriacal symptoms at admission and discharge.
  • Statistical analyses were employed to examine correlations between hypochondriasis and variables such as anxiety, somatic concerns, mood, suicidality, and medication use.

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Main Results:

  • Sixty percent of patients exhibited hypochondriacal symptoms upon admission, with 12% being delusional; these figures decreased to 40% and 0% at discharge, respectively.
  • Hypochondriasis was significantly associated with anxiety (P < .05) and somatic concerns (P < .001), but not with depressed mood, suicidality, or short-term treatment outcomes.
  • While physical illness ratings did not correlate with hypochondriasis, nonpsychotropic medication use did (P < .01).

Conclusions:

  • Hypochondriacal complaints are a notable feature in elderly depressives, often showing improvement during treatment.
  • The persistence of less intense hypochondriacal concerns post-remission suggests a combination of state-dependent and trait-like characteristics in this patient group.