OUTCOME IN CONVERSION DISORDER - A FOLLOW-UP-STUDY

Fifty six patients who had been admitted with a conversion disorder ot her than pseudoseizures were interviewed; mostly by telephone. The med ian interval was: 4.5 years. If a patient had improved during a stay i n hospital the eventual outcome was good in 96%, against only 30% in t he others (risk ratio 3.2 (95% CI 1.8-5.6)). Rapid improvement was, in turn, related to recent onset of the symptoms. Two patients (4%) subs equently developed an organic deficit that, in retrospect, might be re lated to the initial episode.