Frequent attenders in general medical practice in Italy: a preliminary report on clinical variables related to low functioning

Figures & data

Table 1 Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the total sample (N=75) and of LF (n=26) vs HF (n=49) patients

Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics	Total sample (mean ± SD; median; 1–3 quartiles)	LF (mean ± SD; median; 1–3 quartiles)	HF (mean ± SD; median; 1–3 quartiles)	Student’s t-test	P-value
Age	55.3±13.0; 60.0; 46.0–67.0	53.8±16.0; 59.0; 41.3–68.3	56.1±11.9; 60.0; 47.0–66.0	−0.64	0.526
	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)	χ^2	P-value
Gender
M	19 (25.3)	7 (26.9)	12 (24.5)	0.000	1.000
F	56 (74.7)	19 (73.1)	37 (75.5)
Marital status
Single/divorced/widowed	28 (37.3)	12 (46.2)	16 (32.7)	0.809	0.368
Married	47 (62.7)	14 (53.8)	33 (67.3)
Education (years)
≤8	49 (65.3)	17 (65.4)	32 (65.3)	0.000	1.000
>8	26 (34.7)	9 (34.6)	17 (34.7)
Current occupation
Unemployed	35 (46.7)	14 (53.8)	21 (42.9)	0.442	0.506
Employed	40 (53.3)	12 (46.2)	28 (57.1)
Family psychiatric history positivea	57 (77.0)	21 (80.8)	36 (75.0)	0.075	0.784
Previous mental disorder	44 (58.7)	20 (76.9)	24 (49.0)	4.378	0.036
GP treatment onlya	61 (82.4)	20 (76.9)	41 (85.4)	(Fisher)	0.361

Note:

a The sample size does not correspond to 75 due to the presence of one missing data.

Abbreviations: LF, low functioning; HF, high functioning; M, male; F, female; GP, general practitioner.

Figure 1 SCID-5 current diagnoses (%).

Note: *Statistically significant differences between LF and HF patients.
Abbreviations: SCID-5, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5; DSM-5, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition; LF, low functioning; HF, high functioning.

Table 2 CIRS scores in the total sample (N=75) and in LF (n=26, 34.7%) vs HF (n=49, 65.3%) patients

CIRS	Total samplea n (%)	LF n (%)	HF n (%)	χ^2	P-value
Cardiovascular–respiratory system
1) Cardiac (heart only)	14 (22.6)	6 (25.0)	8 (21.1)	0.003	0.960
2) Hypertension	28 (45.2)	12 (50.0)	16 (42.1)	0.120	0.729
3) Vascular (blood, blood vessels and cells, marrow, spleen, lymphatics)	15 (24.2)	7 (29.2)	8 (21.1)	0.178	0.673
4) Respiratory (lungs, bronchi, trachea below larynx)	13 (21.0)	7 (29.2)	6 (15.8)	0.884	0.347
5) ENT (eye, ear, nose, throat, larynx)	24 (38.7)	9 (37.5)	15 (39.5)	0.000	1.000
GI system
6) Upper GI (esophagus, stomach, duodenum, biliary and pancreatic trees)	26 (41.9)	10 (41.7)	16 (42.1)	0.000	1.000
7) Lower GI (intestines, hernias)	31 (50.0)	12 (50.0)	19 (50.0)	0.000	1.000
8) Hepatic (liver only)	11 (17.7)	4 (16.7)	7 (18.4)	(Fisher)	1.000
9) Renal (kidneys only)	6 (9.7)	2 (8.3)	4 (10.5)	(Fisher)	1.000
10) Other GU (ureters, bladder, urethra, prostate, genitals)	28 (45.2)	9 (37.5)	19 (50.0)	0.492	0.483
11) Musculoskeletal–integumentary (muscles, bone, skin)	45 (72.6)	16 (66.7)	29 (76.3)	0.289	0.591
12) Neurologic (brain, spinal cord, nerves)	19 (30.6)	9 (37.5)	10 (26.3)	0.419	0.517
13) Endocrine–metabolic (includes diffuse infections, poisonings)	29 (46.8)	7 (29.2)	22 (57.9)	3.791	0.052
14) Psychiatric (mental)	21 (33.9)	9 (37.5)	12 (31.6)	0.105	0.746

Note:

a The sample size does not correspond to 75 due to the presence of missing data.

Abbreviations: CIRS, Cumulative Illness Rating Scale; LF, low functioning; HF, high functioning; GI, gastrointestinal; GU, genitourinary.

Table 3 IBI item 1, item 9, and total scores in the total sample (N=75) and LF (n=26, 34.7%) vs HF (n=49, 65.3%) patients

IBI self-report	Total sample n (%)	LF n (%)	HF n (%)	χ^2	P-value
1) I see doctors often (yes)	49 (65.3)	19 (73.1)	30 (61.2)	0.595	0.440
9) I complain about being ill when I feel ill (yes)	33 (44.0)	14 (53.8)	19 (38.8)	1.014	0.314
	Mean ± SD	Mean ± SD, mean rank	Mean ± SD, mean rank	z	P-value
IBI total score (20–120)	61.6±19.5	66.9±19.6, 44.31	58.8±19.1, 34.65	−1.827	0.068

Abbreviations: IBI, Illness Behavior Inventory; LF, low functioning; HF, high functioning.

Table 4 Psychopharmacological treatment in the total sample (N=75) and in LF (n=26, 34.7%) vs HF (n=49, 65.3%) patients

Psychopharmacological treatment	Total samplea n (%)	LF n (%)	HF n (%)	χ^2	P-value
Current (yes)	36 (48.0)	19 (73.1)	17 (34.7)	8.550	0.003
BDZ	20 (27.0)a	15 (57.7)	5 (10.4)	16.790	<0.001
SSRI	11 (14.9)a	5 (19.2)	6 (12.5)	(Fisher)	0.502
TCA	6 (8.1)a	5 (19.2)	1 (2.1)	(Fisher)	0.018
Lithium carbonate	1 (1.4)a	1 (3.8)	0 (0.0)	(Fisher)	0.351
Other mood stabilizers	12 (16.2)a	7 (26.9)	5 (10.4)	(Fisher)	0.098
Atypical antipsychotics	3 (4.1)a	2 (7.7)	1 (2.1)	(Fisher)	0.281
Typical antipsychotics	4 (5.4)a	4 (15.4)	0 (0.0)	(Fisher)	0.013
Past (yes)	47 (62.7)	22 (84.6)	25 (51.0)	6.820	0.009
BDZ	32 (44.4)	17 (68.0)	15 (31.9)	7.207	0.007
SSRI	29 (40.3)	12 (48.0)	17 (36.2)	0.521	0.470
TCA	15 (20.8)	9 (36.0)	6 (12.8)	4.026	0.045
Lithium carbonate	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	–	–
Other mood stabilizers	13 (18.1)	5 (20.0)	8 (17.0)	(Fisher)	0.757
Atypical antipsychotics	3 (4.2)	2 (8.0)	1 (2.1)	(Fisher)	0.275
Typical antipsychotics	7 (9.7)	4 (16.0)	3 (6.4)	(Fisher)	0.227

Note:

a The sample size does not correspond to 75 due to the presence of missing data.

Abbreviations: LF, low functioning; HF, high functioning; BDZ, benzodiazepine; SSRI, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor; TCA, tricyclic antidepressant.