title: [New unifying diagnosis of functional diseases].
abstract: Functional somatic symptoms are prevalent in all medical settings, but their management is hampered by an obsolete theoretical framework and inadequate classification systems. Epidemiological and neurobiological studies suggest that the functional somatic syndromes, e.g. fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome and somatoform disorders belong to the same family of disorders. An empirically based diagnosis including different subtypes and severities is proposed as a unifying diagnostic construct: bodily distress syndrome. This construct provides a common language for functional disorders across medical specialties.
authors.affiliation: Forskningsklinikken for Funktionelle Lidelser og Psykosomatik, Arhus Universitetshospital, Arhus Sygehus, 8000 Arhus C, Denmark. per.fink@aarhus.rm.dk
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fink
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosendal
authors.forename: Marie Lyngsaae
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Dam
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schröder
mesh_terms: D003210:Concept Formation; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009626:Terminology as Topic