title: DSM-5 somatic symptom disorder in patients with vertigo and dizziness symptoms.
abstract: DSM-5 somatic symptom disorder (SSD) could potentially be a highly relevant diagnosis for patients with vertigo and dizziness. The criteria of SSD, particularly the B-criterion with its three components (cognitive, affective, behavioral), have however not yet been investigated in this patient group.
  
  
  
  We evaluated a large sample (n=399) of outpatients presenting in a neurological setting. Physical examinations and a psychometric assessment (SCID-I) were conducted; patients completed self-report questionnaires. The diagnosis of SSD was assigned retrospectively. The prevalence of SSD, its diagnostic criteria, and its overlap with former DSM-IV somatoform disorders were evaluated; comparisons were drawn between (1) patients fulfilling different components of the B-criterion and (2) patients with diagnoses after DSM-IV vs. DSM-5.
  
  
  
  SSD was almost twice as common as DSM-IV somatoform disorders. Patients with all three components of the B-criterion reported the highest impairment levels. Patients with both DSM-IV somatoform disorders and DSM-5 SSD were more impaired compared to groups with one of the diagnoses; patients with DSM-IV somatoform disorders only were more impaired than those with SSD only.
  
  
  
  Our findings demonstrate that SSD is highly prevalent in patients with vertigo and dizziness. The classification of severity based on the number of psychological symptoms appears valid and may assist in finding suitable treatment options according to clinical practice guidelines. Future studies should investigate the overlap of SSD and other psychiatric disorders, this may assist in better defining the diagnostic criteria of SSD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Klinikum Großhadern, Munich, Germany. Electronic address: karina.limburg@tum.de.
authors.forename: Karina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Limburg
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Heribert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sattel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Klinikum Großhadern, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Radziej
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Klinikum Großhadern, Munich, Germany; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Claas
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lahmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004244:Dizziness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000071896:Medically Unexplained Symptoms; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014717:Vertigo / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: DSM-5; Dizziness; Somatic symptom disorder; Somatoform disorders; Vertigo