title: The deceit continues: an updated literature review of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article presents an updated review of the literature of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (Factitious Disorder by Proxy, MBP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred fifty-one cases of MBP were analyzed from 154 medical and psychosocial journal articles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Typical victims may be either males or females, usually 4 years of age or under. Victims averaged 21.8 months from onset of symptoms to diagnosis. Six percent of victims were dead, and 7.3% were judged to have suffered long-term or permanent injury. Twenty-five percent of victims' known siblings are dead, and 61.3% of siblings had illnesses similar to those of the victim or which raised suspicions of MBP. Mothers were perpetrators in 76.5% of cases, but as knowledge of MBP grows a wider range of perpetrators is identified. In a small number of cases, MBP was found to co-exist with secondary gain or other inflicted injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although published cases form a non-random sample, they add to knowledge about MBP and validate claims that it occurs. More knowledge about non-medical aspects of MBP, and more pooling of data, is desirable.
authors.affiliation: Social Work Program, Hawaii Pacific University, 1188 Fort St Mall, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA.
authors.forename: Mary S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sheridan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D008192:Deception; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers; D016735:Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy / Q000175:diagnosis*