Bodily distress syndrome: A new diagnosis for functional disorders in primary care?

BMC Primary Care

Table 2 Validators and utility of clinical syndromes, as well as established evidence regarding BDS

Validator	Scientific method	Study
Identify and describe the syndrome	‘Clinical intuition’ or cluster analyses	Fink et al. (2007) [2] Budtz-Lilly et al. (2015) [43]
Demonstrate boundaries between related syndromes and from normality	Statistical methods, e.g. latent class analysis	Fink et al. (2007) [2] Budtz-Lilly et al. (2015) [43]
Establish a distinct course or outcome	Follow-up studies	Budtz-Lilly et al. (2015) [42] Rask et al. (2015) [44]
Establish a distinct treatment response	Therapeutic trials	Fjordback et al. (2013)^a [45] Schröder et al. (2012)^a [46]
Establish that the syndrome ‘breeds true’	Family studies	No studies found
Identify biological correlates	Demonstrate the association with abnormalities of anatomical, biochemical or molecular character	No studies found
Additional validator		Study
The patients must be sampled from representative populations		Fink et al. (2007) [2] Budtz-Lilly et al. (2015) [42] Budtz-Lilly et al. (2015) [43] Rask et al. (2015) [44]
Results should be confirmed in cross-validation studies		Budtz-Lilly et al. (2015) [43]
Patients must be assessed by an appropriate method		Fink et al. (2007) [2]
Clinical utility		Study
Is it used?		No studies found
Is it acceptable to users?		Lam et al. (2013) [84]
Is it easy to use?		No studies found
Is it used correctly?		No studies found
Does it improve clinical outcome?		No studies found
Does it enhance communication?
with patients		No studies found^b
across medical specialties		No studies found
Does it assist in conceptualising?		Lam et al. (2013) [84]

ISSN: 2731-4553