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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Concurrent factitious disorder and factitious disorder by proxy. Double jeopardy.

Two forms of medical dissimulation-factitious disorder and factitious disorder by proxy-present enormous challenges to clinicians accustomed to receiving valid symptom reports from their patients. The consequences of such "disease forgery" are heightened when a patient simultaneously engages in both forms of deception. We discuss a 34-year-old nurse who simulated or induced a panoply of physical and psychological ailments in both herself and her daughter. The staff's insistence on access to outside information sources proved indispensible in establishing both diagnoses, facilitating ongoing treatment for the patient and ensuring appropriate protection of the child.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

[Factitious disorder and factitious disorder by proxy].

Similar to the adult patient, a child or adolescent may actively feign or produce artificial symptoms (synonymous: Munchausen syndrome). The more frequent case is that the child suffers from being an object of symptom fabrication induced by a close person caring for the child, regularly the mother (Munchausen syndrome by proxy). This review focuses on psychopathological aspects of the clinically more relevant factitious disorder by proxy. Typical behaviour and personality characteristics are presented that can be taken as clinical warning signs. Doctor-mother-interaction is affectively challenging due to conflicting tasks imposed on the physician. Complementary to pediatric exclusion of genuine disease, psychopathological assessment is required to exclude other sources of deviant illness behaviour. Factious disorder shares particular features (active violation of the child, false report of history, aggravated symptom presentation and increased doctor-hopping, difficulties in conforming maternal report in biomedical data) with other psychopathological entities (child abuse, simulation, dissociative disorders, somatoform disorders including hypochondria, variants of maternal overprotection and infantilization, psychosis or delusion in the mother). Criteria for differentiation are presented. Three concepts on the psychopathological etiology of factitious disorder by proxy are relevant: In some cases, it may be conceived as secondary manifestation of a primary psychopathological entity or personality disorder. Learning theory emphasises operant rewards received from vicarious sick role. Attachment theory provides possible explanations concerning the traumatic impact on the child, early sources of psychopathology in the fabricating mother and risks for intergenerational transmission of factitious disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Neurological syndromes in factitious disorder.

Factitious disorder is characterized by the intentional feigning of physical or psychological signs and symptoms. The best known type of factitious disorder, Munchausen syndrome, is marked by a chronic unremitting course with repeated hospitalizations. The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency, psychopathological phenomenology, and diagnostic classification according to DSM-III-R in patients with factitious disorder presenting as neurological syndromes. We prospectively included all patients who were hospitalized at our Department of Neurology, Freie Universität Berlin, during a 1-year period. Five of 1538 (.3%) patients were diagnosed as having factitious disorder with feigning of neurological syndromes. Four presented with the classic variant, Munchausen syndrome. All patients had similar, characteristic psychopathological features including self-discharge, aggressive behavior, pseudologia phantastica, and hospital wandering. In these cases the additional diagnosis of personality disorder was made according to DSM-III-R criteria. We concluded that factitious disorder presenting with neurological syndromes may be more prevalent than generally assumed. Our findings confirm the idea of frequent coincidence of factitious and personality disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Clinical case of the month. A case of Munchausen syndrome (factitious disorder)].

Factitious disorders are characterized by physical or psychological symptoms that are intentionally produced or feigned in order to assume the sick role. In the particularly severe type presented by Munchausen syndrome, the person's entire life may consist of either trying to get admitted to or staying in hospitals. From the case of a 47 year old patient exhibiting symptoms of neurological aspect associated with psychological complaints, the issue of differential diagnosis of a factitious disorder is addressed. The integration of the reported symptomatology to the subject's personal history seems indispensable to the understanding and the global therapy of the patient.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1998

[Conversion syndromes in neurology. A psychopathological and psychodynamic differentiation of conversion disorder, somatization disorder and factitious disorder].

Conversion syndromes are frequent among medically unexplained somatic symptoms in neurology. A careful differential diagnosis must be carried out in a psychiatric consultation service. In a prospective study lasting for over four years 169 patients with pseudoneurological signs of conversion were included. From a clinical point of view the following conversion syndromes were presented: astasia/abasia: 27.2%, paresis/plegia: 24.3%, aphonia: 1.8%, hyp-/anaesthesia: 21.9%, blindness: 5.3%, non-epileptic seizures: 19.5%. According to the diagnostic criteria of DSM-III-R three subgroups were differentiated: conversion disorder (n = 132), somatisation disorder (n = 28), factitious disorder (n = 9). Intermittent courses of illness were prevailing in conversion disorder, whereas chronic courses predominated in the other two subgroups. High rates of psychiatric comorbidity were typical signs of somatisation disorder. Frequent autodestructive motives (suicidality, deliberate and covert self-harm, chronic pain, high rate of operations) in illness behaviour had to be registered in somatisation and factitious disorder. Both subgroups were characterised by frequent traumatic events during early development. Important socio-economic aspects of illness behaviour above all in somatisation and factitious disorder were underlined. The results are discussed in terms of psychiatric differential diagnosis and psychiatric comorbidity, psychodynamic evaluation, illness behaviour and therapeutic options in a C/L-service.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[Clinical features and psychopathology of factitious disorders].

Factitious disorders are characterized by self-produced symptoms and a chronic course, sometimes with severe complications. Pathomimia occurs more often in women, even though the Munchausen syndrome is found especially in men. Among the various clinical features of pathomimia, the most frequent are factitious fevers and cutaneous pathomimia. Factitious psychiatric disorders are not rare, such as factitious psychotic symptoms, mournings or post-traumatic stress disorders. The main elements of diagnostic orientation are the odd expression of the reported symptoms, a capricious and disconcerting course, as well as the multiplicity of the previous history, with many imprecise diagnoses. Concerning the psychopathology, and contrary to the simple simulation, immediate utility of the alleged symptoms is not the expected goal, one of the essential psychological motivations being to challenge the physician. Among comorbid pathological personalities, there seems to be some close relations between pathomimia and hysterical personality, whereas the Munchausen syndrome shares common features with antisocial personality.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

A case report of comorbid eating disorder and factitious disorder.

A review of the literature on comorbid eating disorder and factitious disorder reveals that they are very rare. In this report the authors present the case of a 26-year-old Japanese female, who, in the midst of treatment for eating disorder, was found to be fabricating her physical symptoms, by injecting unclean water into her intravenous bottle. As a result she was diagnosed with factitious disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Factitious disorders.

Factitious disorders reside under the broad umbrella of dysfunctional syndromes. This article is meant specifically to focus on common patterns of upper extremity factitious illness. It is intended to emphasize recognition, differential diagnosis, and problems related to misdiagnosis. It is not devoted to treatment, which is a separate issue.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1995

Munchausen's syndrome and other factitious disorders.

Factitious disorders including Munchausen's syndrome are likely encountered by all clinicians during their career. Neurologic presentations are common, especially with Munchausen's syndrome by proxy. An appropriate index of suspicion and nonjudgemental confrontation and psychiatric consultation facilitate a successful clinical approach. Redefining the factitious illness as psychiatric with continued involvement of a primary physician and family support are also keys to successful management. Underlying psychiatric syndromes need to be assiduously evaluated and steadfastly treated. Prognosis is best for patients who do not meet criteria for Munchausen's syndrome or who have psychosocial supports and less severe personality pathology.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Self-inflicted tongue ulcer: an unusual form of factitious disorder.

Factitious disorders in the buccal cavity are infrequent. A 9-year-old boy with a 5-year history of an artefact ulcer of the tongue is described. Psychiatric evaluation revealed an altered personality structure with a background of psychotic traits. Complete remission was observed with psychiatric management.

Anti-Anxiety Agents↗
PubMed2002

[Narcissistic personality disorder and factitious disorder on a borderline personality organization basis: a psychoanalytic psychotherapy process].

The aim of this presentation is to summarize the changes occurring during the psychoanalytic psychotherapy of a dystonic (due to anoxic injury), 25-years-old female patient both from the standpoint of diagnosis and dynamics as well as the changes occurring in the therapist. The patient was finally diagnosed as having narcissistic disorder with factitious traits on a borderline personality organization and was twice hospitalized for a wide variety of symptoms, such as suicidal attempts, auditory and visual hallucinations, animistic thoughts, obsessive compulsive symptoms, dissociative episodes, and fear of abandonment. Hospitalized treatment was started on a weekly basis. Avoidance of interpretation, acceptance of her fantasies, outbursts and hostile behaviour helped the patient to reveal herself as a helpless and lonesome person trying to get attention with pseudo-symptoms created throughout the therapy. The patient finally established a trusting relationship with the therapist. This, in turn helped the therapist to become more attuned to the patient's difficulties. It is obvious that establishing a positive working relationship is the basis of psychotherapy and that even on a once a week basis significant changes can occur in a patient's attitude towards his/her life and future. Another point emphasized in this paper is the importance of supervision, which helped the therapist to overcome prejudices and become more flexible.

English Abstract↗
PubMed1993

[Factitious torpid skin ulcers. New concepts and classification of chronic factitious disorders].

Chronic factitious disorders are diseases diagnosed after the discarding of organic causes. There are determined diagnostic data which may be suspicious: multiple hospitalization, submission to many invasive techniques and personal situations motivating simulation. The case of a 34 year old woman presenting a factitious disorder with dermal ulcers, subcutaneous abscesses and simulation of hematuria is described. An analysis of the concept and classification of this clinical picture is made. Following diagnostic suspicion, a search for objects or substances with which the patient was able to make the lesions was required to determine the appropriate therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Factitious disorders. Hematologic, neurologic and dermatologic symptoms in a physician with factitious disorder].

HISTORY AND FINDINGS: A 38-year-old female physician was admitted with the suspected diagnosis of a myelodysplastic syndrome. The self-reported history was inconsistent and incoherent. On physical examination neurological and dermatological disorders could be found. EXAMINATIONS: A bone marrow puncture revealed a toxicity-induced bone marrow damage. Extensive examinations to evaluate the neurological symptoms did not show any pathological findings. A toxicological screening identified opioids, benzodiazepines and promethazine. TREATMENT AND COURSE: Because of the inconsistent history and the contradictory results of our clinical tests, we asked in other hospitals for past admissions and were thus able to have insight into a hospital career that grasped numerous different admission diagnoses. All presented symptoms, especially the bone marrow damage, were self-induced by the patient. CONCLUSIONS: For the first time in this patient's history, a factitious disorder was diagnosed after a hospital career of almost 10 years. In this publication, the case is thoroughly presented. Additionally, the current literature is reviewed with latest recommendations for therapeutic strategies about this poorly understood disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Factitious disorders.

Reports of factitious disorders, Munchausen's syndrome, and self-induced illness exist throughout medical history. In practice, disease simulation represents a spectrum of behaviors that range from relatively common and benign (e.g., pleading illness to avoid an unwanted social obligation) to rare and malignant forms (e.g., Munchausen's syndrome and factitious disorder by proxy). Factitious disorders are differentiated from malingering by the goal that motivates the individual's behavior. The only apparent goal in factitious illness is to gain the sick role; the goal in malingering is to gain rewards, such as compensation, or to avoid the unwanted, such as military service or jail. This article summarizes clinically relevant information on factitious disorders for primary care physicians.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1993

Update on factitious disorders.

OBJECTIVE: Since factitious disorders entered the official psychiatric nomenclature in DSM-III and DSM-III-R, there has been a proliferation of reports and commentary about this unusual disorder. We present an update of the recent literature. METHOD: The psychiatric and medical literature was searched. Clinical reports and critical/theoretical papers were reviewed; eighty-five are summarized here. RESULTS: Available data is descriptive and anecdotal. Reports focus on the following four topics, which are discussed here: 1) diagnostic issues, 2) the newly proposed DSM-IV category of factitious disorder by proxy, 3) epidemiology and course, 4) new developments in treatment and management. CONCLUSIONS: Factitious disorders are uncommon but serious illnesses that present diagnostic and management dilemmas. Deriving systematic information about these illnesses is a major challenge.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Laboratory diagnosis of factitious disorders.

Self-induced factitious disorders are defined and distinguished from conditions they may resemble. Review of the literature since 1965 indicates much more frequent reporting in recent years, but most health care providers are still not sufficiently aware of the common factitious disorder. Up to 5% of physician-patient encounters may be because of factitious disorders, but these are only suspected when the workup leads to contradictory findings. Laboratory tests are often the only definitive diagnostic method, and clinicians may not be familiar with current technologies. Some clinical clues are listed; heightened awareness and the need for early diagnosis are emphasized. Discordant laboratory results should raise the possibility of a factitious disorder. Sophisticated laboratory tests that can accurately assay very small amounts of specific hormones or foreign substances in body fluids facilitate the diagnosis. The primary physician can now confirm an initial clinical diagnosis of factitious disorder promptly and directly rather than only by exclusion.

Clinical Laboratory Techniques↗