Do investigations reassure patients with no organic pathology?

Practical Neurology

Volumn 4, Issue 5, 2004, Pages 290-293

  Howard, Louise ^a   Wessely, Simon ^a  

^a KING'S COLLEGE LONDON   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ARTICLE; CLINICAL PRACTICE; CONSULTATION; DOCTOR PATIENT RELATION; EVIDENCE BASED MEDICINE; HUMAN; MEDICAL DECISION MAKING; MORBIDITY; NEUROLOGIC DISEASE; NEUROLOGIC EXAMINATION; NEUROPATHOLOGY; PATIENT ATTITUDE; PATIENT SATISFACTION;

EID: 7244232629     PISSN: 14747758     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/j.1474-7766.2004.00250.x     Document Type: Article

References (18)

1. Channer KS, James MA, Papouchado M & Rees R (1987) Failure of a negative exercise test to reassure patients with chest pain. Quarterly Journal of Medicine, 240, 315-22.
2. Donovan JL & Blake DR (2000) Qualitative study of interpretation of reassurance among patients attending rheumatology clinics: 'just a touch of arthritis doctor?'. British Medical Journal 320, 541-4.
3. Faxon DP, McCabe CH, Kriegel DE & Ryan TJ (1982) Therapeutic and economic value of a normal coronary angiogram. American Journal of Medicine, 73, 500-5.
4. Fitzpatrick R & Hopkins A (1981) Referrals to neurologists for headaches not due to structural disease. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 44, 1061-7.
5. Hansen JM, Bytzer P, Bondesen S & Schaffalitzky de Muckadell OB (1991) Efficacy and outcome of an open access endoscopy service. Danish Medical Bulletin, 382, 88-290.
6. Howard LM & Wessely S (1996) Reassurance reappraised - the role of investigations. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 41 307-11.
7. Jarvik JG, Hollingworth W, Martin B et al. (2003) Rapid magnetic resonance imaging vs radiographs for patients with low back pain. JAMA, 289, 2810-8.
8. Little P, Dorward M, Stephens K, Senior J & Moore M (2004) Importance of patient pressure and perceived pressure and perceived medical need for investigations, referral, and prescribing in primary care: nested observational study. British Medical Journal, 328 44-6.
9. Lucock MP, Morley S, White C & Peake MD (1997) Responses of consecutive patients to reassurance after gastroscopy: results of self administered questionnaire survey. British Medical Journal, 315 572-5.
10. McDonald IG, Daly J, Jelinek VM, Panetta F & Gutman JM (1996) Opening Pandora's box: the unpredictability of reassurance by a normal test result. British Medical Journal, 313, 329-32.
11. Ockene IS, Shay MJ, Alpert JS, Weiner BH & Dalen JE (1980) Unexplained chest pain in patients with normal coronary arteriograms. A follow-up study of functional status. New England Journal of Medicine 303, 1249-52.
12. Page L & Wessely S (2003) Medically unexplained symptoms: exacerbating factors in the doctor-patient encounter. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 96, 223-7.
13. Potts SG & Bass CM (1993) Psychosocial outcome and use of medical resources in patients with chest pain and normal or near-normal coronary arteries. A long term follow-up study. Quarterly Journal of Medicine, 86, 583-93.
14. Price JR (2000) Managing physical symptoms: The clinical assessment as treatment. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 48 1-10.
15. Sox HC Jr, Margulies I & Sox CH (1981) Psychologically mediated effects of diagnostic tests. Annals of International Medicine 95, 680-5.
16. Sudlow C (2002) US Guidelines on Neuroimaging in Patients with Non-Acute Headache: a Commentary. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 72, ii16-ii18.
17. Van Dulmen AM, Fennis JFM, Mokkink HGA, Van Der Velden HGM & Bleijenberg G (1995) Doctor-dependent changes in complaint-related cognitions and anxiety during medical consultations in functional abdominal complaints. Psychological Medicine, 25, 1011-8.
18. Ward BW, Wu WC, Richter JE, Hackshaw BT & Castell DO (1987) Long-term follow-up of symptomatic status of patients with non-cardiac chest pain: is diagnosis of esophageal etiology helpful? American Journal of Gastroenterology, 82, 215-8.