title: Long-term follow-up of hypochondriasis after selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  : There is paucity of knowledge on the long-term outcome of hypochondriasis, with even less knowledge about the effect of treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).
  
  
  METHODS
  : This prospective follow-up study included 58 patients with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) hypochondriasis who had participated in a trial of SSRI treatment 4 to 16 years earlier (mean ± SD = 8.6 ± 4.5 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  : Information was obtained on 79.3% (n = 46) of the original group. At follow-up, 40% of the patients continued to meet full DSM-IV criteria for hypochondriasis. Persistence of hypochondriasis was individually predicted by longer duration of prior hypochondriasis (P = 0.003), history of childhood physical punishment (P = 0.01), and less usage of SSRIs during the interval period (P = 0.02). Remission status was not significantly predicted by demographic characteristics, baseline hypochondriasis severity, or psychiatric comorbidity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  : A substantial proportion of patients with hypochondriasis who receive treatment with SSRIs achieve remission over the long term. Interim SSRI use may be a factor contributing to better prognosis.
authors.affiliation: College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Pernilla J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Schweitzer
authors.forename: Uzma
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Zafar
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pavlicova
authors.forename: Brian A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Fallon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016666:Fluvoxamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006998:Hypochondriasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D012074:Remission Induction; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D005473:Fluoxetine; D016666:Fluvoxamine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors