Prevalence of somatic symptom and related disorders at a tertiary neuroimmunology clinic

The prevalence of somatic symptom and related disorders (SSRDs) in the neuroimmunology clinic is unknown.

To evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of SSRDs in patients referred to a tertiary neuroimmunology clinic.

We retrospectively evaluated the presence of SSRDs in patients referred to a tertiary neuroimmunology clinic from 2016 to 2023.

898 patients were referred; 204 (22.7 %) did not have a neuroimmunological disorder. Fifty-four patients (6.0 % of total; 26.5 % of non-neuroimmunological) were diagnosed with SSRDs (74 % females, average age 42.5, SD 10.9). Per the DSM5-TR criteria, the following categories were identified: functional neurological disorder (25 patients, 46.3 %), somatic symptom disorder (22 patients, 40.7 %), SSRD unspecified (4 patients, 7.4 %), and illness anxiety disorder (3 patients, 5.5 %). Forty-three patients (79.6 %) were referred for MS, and 10 (18.5 %) for autoimmune encephalitis. Twenty-two patients (40.7 %) were referred by general neurologists, 16 (29.6 %) were self-referrals, 12 (22.2 %) were referred by their primary care physicians, and 4 (7.4 %) were referred by other specialists. Eleven patients (20.4 %) were healthcare workers. Compared to MS patients evaluated at the same timeframe, SSRD patients were older, more likely to be white, and less likely to be black.

SSRDs are relatively common amongst patients referred to a neuroimmunology clinic without a neuroimmunological disorder. SSRD patients were older than MS patients and less likely to be black. Self-referral and working in healthcare were frequently seen among SSRD patients.