clinical features and diagnosis
Last reviewed 01/2018
Briquet's syndrome may be considered to be a type of hypochondriasis occurring predominantly in women. It often runs in families.
Patients with this condition have multiple somatic symptoms - at least 15 of a list of 37 - for which no organic cause can be found. A common symptom is dysmenorrhoea (often accompanied by frigidity and dyspareunia).
Patients tend to have an intractable course and most with patients this condition have numerous hospital admissions before the age of 30. Many become dependent on medication e.g. analgesics, sedatives.