ArticleBMJ (Clinical research ed.)2001
Medically unexplained symptoms in frequent attenders of secondary health care: retrospective cohort study.
Article in BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 2001. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 76 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
76 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Pooled it
- Epidemiology and organisation of care in medically unexplained symptoms: A systematic review with a focus on cultural diversity and migrants.International journal of clinical practice · 2021Pooled it
- Breathing therapy for patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms and dysfunctional breathing: A pilot and feasibility trial.PloS one · 2025Trial
- The Effect of Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Versus Psychoeducation Only on Psychological Distress in Patients With Noncardiac Chest Pain: Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2022Trial
- Effects of a work stress intervention on healthcare use and treatment compared to treatment as usual: a randomised controlled trial in Swedish primary healthcare.BMC family practice · 2020Trial
- Does early identification of work-related stress, combined with feedback at GP-consultation, prevent sick leave in the following 12 months? a randomized controlled trial in primary health care.BMC public health · 2019Trial
- Trial
- Trial
- Stress-related psycho-physiological disorders: randomized single blind placebo controlled naturalistic study of psychometric evaluation using a radio electric asymmetric treatment.Health and quality of life outcomes · 2011Trial
- Patients' experience with medical communication about medically unexplained symptoms.Communications medicine · 2026Article
- Health Care Journeys of Veterans With Gulf War Illness.Medical care · 2026Article
- A patient perspective on enduring symptoms - the unmet need.Future healthcare journal · 2025Article
- Before the diagnosis: quality of life in patients presenting with chest pain undergoing Bruce protocol stress testing.BMC cardiovascular disorders · 2025Article
- Association of multiple symptoms with sleep quality and duration: a cross-sectional population-based study of older men in Sweden.BMJ open · 2025Article
- Article
- Article
- Non-Cardiac Chest Pain as a Persistent Physical Symptom: Psychological Distress and Workability.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Article
- Contribution of objectively measured grating acuity by sweep visually evoked potentials to the diagnosis of unexplained visual loss.Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie · 2022Article
- Article
- Characteristics and economic burden of frequent attenders with medically unexplained symptoms in primary care in Israel.The European journal of general practice · 2021Observational
16 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo estimate the prevalence of medically unexplained symptoms in patients who most frequently attend outpatient services.
designRetrospective cohort study over three years with review of case notes.
settingSecondary care services in the South Thames (West) NHS region.
participantsOutpatient attenders with new appointments in 1993.
main outcome measuresNumber of outpatient appointments, and number of consultation episodes for medically unexplained conditions.
resultsMedical records of 361 of 400 sampled frequent attenders were examined, and 971 consultation episodes were recorded. Ninety seven (27%) had one or more consultation episodes in which the condition was medically unexplained; 208 (21%) of the 971 consultation episodes were medically unexplained. Abdominal pain, chest pain, headache, and back pain were commonly found to be medically unexplained.
conclusionsMedically unexplained symptoms present in most hospital specialties and account for a considerable proportion of consultations by frequent attenders in secondary care.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.