ABSTRACT
Psychiatric disorders are much more common when the medical diagnosis is uncertain. In one study, 38-45% of patients with uncertain diagnoses (vs. 15% for whom the diagnoses were clear) had a psychiat ric diagnosis (6); 12% had PD diagnoses. Simon and Von Korff (33) have demonstrated that patients with multiple unexplained symptoms are over 200 times more likely to have PD, an increased risk 10 times that of any other syndrome. Panic attacks are reported in over onequarter of patients who experience five or more problems or symptoms, 18% meet full criteria for PD (33).
