title: IPS multicentric study: Functional somatic symptoms in depression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As a pilot project, Indian Psychiatric Society conducted the first multicentric study involving diverse settings from teaching institutions in public and private sectors and even privately run psychiatric clinics.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the typology of functional somatic complaints (FSC) in patients with first episode depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 741 patients from 16 centers across the country participated in the study. They were assessed on Bradford Somatic Symptom inventory for FSC, Beck Depression Inventory for severity of depression, and Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale- anxiety index (CPRS-AI) for anxiety symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the study sample was 38.23 years (SD-11.52). There was equal gender distribution (male - 49.8% vs. females 50.2%). Majority of the patients were married (74.5%), Hindus (57%), and from nuclear family (68.2%). A little over half of the patients were from urban background (52.9%). The mean duration of illness at the time of assessment was 25.55 months. Most of the patients (77%) had more than 10 FSCs, with 39.7% having more than 20 FSCs as assessed on Bradford Somatic Inventory. The more common FSC as assessed on Bradford Somatic Inventory were lack of energy (weakness) much of the time (76.2%), severe headache (74%) and feeling tired when not working (71%), pain in legs (64%), aware of palpitations (59.5%), head feeling heavy (59.4%), aches and pains all over the body (55.5%), mouth or throat getting dry (55.2%), pain or tension in neck and shoulder (54%), head feeling hot or burning (54%), and darkness or mist in front of the eyes (49.1%). The prevalence and typology of FSCs is to a certain extent influenced by the sociodemographic variables and severity of depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Functional somatic symptoms are highly prevalent in Indian depressed patients and hence deserve more attention while diagnosing depression in Indian setting.
authors: Members of Indian Psychiatric Society, India.
authors: Sandeep
authors: S
authors: Grover
authors: Ajit
authors: A
authors: Avasthi
authors: Kamal
authors: K
authors: Kalita
authors: P K
authors: PK
authors: Dalal
authors: G P
authors: GP
authors: Rao
authors: R K
authors: RK
authors: Chadda
authors: Bhavesh
authors: B
authors: Lakdawala
authors: Govind
authors: G
authors: Bang
authors: Kaustav
authors: K
authors: Chakraborty
authors: Sudhir
authors: S
authors: Kumar
authors: P K
authors: PK
authors: Singh
authors: Puneet
authors: P
authors: Kathuria
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Thirunavukarasu
authors: P S V N
authors: PS
authors: Sharma
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Harish
authors: Nilesh
authors: N
authors: Shah
authors: Kamla
authors: K
authors: Deka
keywords: Depression; Functional somatic complaints; India