title: From oliguria to urinary incontinence: a case of Munchausen's syndrome in an adolescent boy.
abstract: Factitious disorders are characterized by physical or psychological symptoms that are intentionally produced or feigned in order to assume the sick role. "Munchausen's syndrome" is one of these disorders and often is under-recognized or only suspected after unnecessary investigations. We report the case of a 15-year-old boy who came to our notice because of reduced urine output and recurrent abdominal pain during the previous 3 months. The patient attended several emergency room visits and he had been hospitalized for 1 month in an adult internal medicine department because of "oliguria". He had undergone several invasive investigations with normal results before the diagnosis of Munchausen's syndrome was made. General pediatricians and practitioners should be aware that suspecting Munchausen's syndrome in the first instance in the management of a patient showing discrepancies between reported urinary symptoms and the detectable clinical signs could avoid unnecessary and invasive exams.
authors: Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via L. De Crecchio n° 2, 80138, Napoli, Italy.
authors: Pierluigi
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4682-0170
authors: P
authors: Marzuillo
authors: Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via L. De Crecchio n° 2, 80138, Napoli, Italy.
authors: Rosaria
authors: R
authors: Marotta
authors: Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via L. De Crecchio n° 2, 80138, Napoli, Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Apicella
authors: Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via L. De Crecchio n° 2, 80138, Napoli, Italy.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Guarino
authors: Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via L. De Crecchio n° 2, 80138, Napoli, Italy.
authors: Tiziana
authors: T
authors: Esposito
authors: Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via L. De Crecchio n° 2, 80138, Napoli, Italy.
authors: Nicoletta
authors: N
authors: Della Vecchia
authors: Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via L. De Crecchio n° 2, 80138, Napoli, Italy.
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Diplomatico
authors: Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via L. De Crecchio n° 2, 80138, Napoli, Italy.
authors: Cesare
authors: C
authors: Polito
authors: Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via L. De Crecchio n° 2, 80138, Napoli, Italy.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Perrone
authors: Department of Woman, Child and General and Specialized Surgery, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via L. De Crecchio n° 2, 80138, Napoli, Italy.
authors: Angela
authors: A
authors: La Manna
keywords: Munchausen’s syndrome; adolescents; children; oliguria; urinary incontinence