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Table 1 Proposed qualitative prognostic classification of symptoms based on “multiple symptoms, multiple systems and multiple times”

From: “Medically unexplained” symptoms and symptom disorders in primary care: prognosis-based recognition and classification

 

Self-limiting symptoms

Recurrent or persistent symptoms a

Symptom disorder

Number of symptoms

+

Few and related symptoms

++

Several symptoms (at same time or on different occasions)

+++

Many symptoms concurrently and/or over time

Number of body systems b

+

One body system

++

One or more body systems

+++

Several body systems

Number of times

+

Few/infrequent

++

Several - intermittent or low-level persistence

+++

Many times or continuously

Risk of poor outcome

Low

Medium

High

  1. a Both “Recurrent or Persistent Symptoms” and “Symptom Disorder” meet the three criteria “multiple symptoms, multiple systems, multiple times”; they vary in the extent to which these criteria are met
  2. b For research, rigid criteria may apply; for clinical practice (as the aim is prognosis rather than formal diagnosis), “number of body systems” is applied more flexibly, e.g., grouping of symptoms by digestive, cardiovascular, genitourinary, etc., systems