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

Mult Scler Relat Disord

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA; Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Program, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA. Electronic address:

Published: September 2025


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Article Abstract

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

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

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

Results: 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.

Conclusions: 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.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.msard.2025.106588DOI Listing

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