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Journal of Clinical and
Basic Psychosomatics Somatization symptoms of outpatient

depression [19,20,22,30] . In the present study, the results showed general hospitals. The severity and occurrence of
that the scores of GAD-7 and PHQ-9 increased with the somatization symptoms are affected by anxiety, depression,
severity of somatization symptoms, and there were significant and gender. Timely recognition and accurate diagnosis
differences in GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores among patients of these symptoms can lead to effective treatment and
with different degrees of somatization symptoms. Except reduce medical expenses. We believe our findings provide
for the female patients with varying degrees of somatization a general guideline to cardiologists in general hospitals
symptoms, there were no statistically significant differences in identifying, diagnosing, and treating patients with
in average age, marital status, level of education, employment psychological disorders.
status, duration of illness, or comorbidities. Step-wise logistic
regression analysis also found that the female and scores of Acknowledgments
PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were positive predictors of somatization None.
symptoms. The results of our study were consistent with
the relevant research [19,20,30] , further revealing that anxiety, Funding
depression, and gender were the main determinants of None.
somatization symptoms.
The correlation between somatization symptoms and Conflict of interest
anxiety or depression [31,32] can be explained in different ways. The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
First, depression and anxiety are common direct causes
of somatization, where somatization symptoms can be Author contributions
manifested as anxiety and depression due to neuromodulation. Conceptualization: Guolong Yu
Second, depression and anxiety are triggering factors of some Formal analysis: Yali Ou, Guolong Yu
somatic diseases, such as hypertension and coronary heart Investigation: Yanan Zhang, Chao Jin, Liang Ning, Yi Xiao,
disease. Third, anxiety and depression may aggravate the Guolong Yu
symptoms of somatic diseases. In addition, the female is the Methodology: Yanan Zhang
determining factor of somatization symptoms, which may Writing–original draft: Yali Ou, Guolong Yu
be associated with a woman’s personality, social and family Writing–review and editing: Yali Ou, Guolong Yu
status, and Chinese cultural traditions.
The present study has several limitations. First, this was a Ethics approval and consent to participate
single-center and cross-sectional study, whose findings may Written consent and permission were obtained from each
not be generalizable to other populations. Furthermore, the subject before their participation in this study.
study participants in this study were patients who visited
the cardiology department in a tertiary hospital and were Consent for publication
initially screened for psychological disorders. Therefore, Written consent and permission were obtained from each
the current results may only reflect the somatization subject for publishing their data.
symptoms of patients suspected of psychological disorders.
Second, the diagnosis of somatization symptoms in a Availability of data
few patients with somatic diseases was based on their Not available.
descriptive accounts, rather than objective examinations.
Besides, some patients were reluctant to disclose their References
personal or family financial situation because the medical
expenses of most patients were borne by medical insurance; 1. Pedersen SS, Von Känel R, Tully PJ, et al., 2017, Psychosocial
perspectives in cardiovascular disease. Eur J Prev Cardiol,
therefore, certain demographic data were unavailable for a 24 3 Suppl: 108–115.
more thorough analysis. Furthermore, this study did not
incorporate the economic status of patients or the means https://doi.org/10.1177/2047487317703827
of medical cost payment. A study by Xu et al. found that 2. Chauvet-Gelinier JC, Bonin B, 2017, Stress, anxiety and
[33]
whether outpatient expenses could be reimbursed was one depression in heart disease patients: A major challenge for
of the factors influencing somatization symptoms. cardiac rehabilitation. Ann Phys Rehabil Med, 60: 6–12.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rehab.2016.09.002
5. Conclusion
3. Reavell J, Hopkinson M, Clarkesmith D, et al., 2018,
Somatization symptoms are prevalent in cardiology Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for depression
outpatients with psychological disorders in Chinese and anxiety in patients with cardiovascular disease:

Volume 1 Issue 2 (2023) 6 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcbp.0636