[Relaxation therapy in patients with anxiety and somatoform disorders in primary care].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of relaxation therapy on the symptomology of patients with anxiety and somatoform disorders.


METHODS
An experimental prospective study, controlled through random assignation, using evaluation scales.


METHODS
Mn. Jaume Soler Health Centre, Cornellà (Barcelona).


METHODS
31 patients (8 men and 23 women), diagnosed with anxiety or previously untreated somatoform disorders, for whom combined anti-depressive and relaxation therapy over a 5-month period was established. The results were compared with those of a control group (n = 17) with identical diagnoses, which only received antidepressive medication.


RESULTS
The STAI tests and two pain scales were administered at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60 and 150 days and the HRS and SCL-90-R at 0 and 150 days. The possible impact of the psychiatric diagnosis, age, gender, married status, existence of concomitant physical illness, SRE, present employment status and the presence of children or not were all considered. The results pointed to a significant improvement over the period in the analogue-visual scale of pain (p = .009) and in the HRS (p = .046) for the group comprised of those complying with the relaxation therapy independently of the psychiatric diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The benefit of relaxation in anxious and somatoform patients, when pain--and not anxiety--is the principal symptom, was confirmed. Depression improved when antidepressants were administered simultaneously, whereas anxiety varied little, at least during the time the trial lasted.
Bernal i Cercós
A
A
Area Básica de Salud Mossén Jaume Soler, Barcelona.
Fusté i Vallverdú
R
R
Urbieta Solana
R
R
Montesinos Molina
I
I
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000628:therapy*
Tratamiento de relajación en pacientes con trastornos de ansiedad y somatoformes en atención primaria.