[Catamnestic results of 64 patients--5 years following inpatient psychosomatic treatment].

The present study is an attempt at evaluating with clinocosomatic, psychodiagnostic, and sociologic instruments the alterations achieved by (psychodynamically oriented) psychosomatic in-patient therapy. Out of a total of 64 patients who in 1975 had undergone treatment for an average period of two months 46 (i. e. 76.7 per cent) were available for re-examination after a five-year interval. In two thirds of the patients the various complaints and the general autonomic instability had receded. The psychical and social situation had improved for between two thirds and three fourths of all re-examined patients both in their own opinion and in that of other people. Correspondingly there was a significant reduction in consultations at the physician's as well as days of disability and days of hospitalization per year. Factors contributing to a favourable diagnosis were: low age of the patient, short duration of complaint, substantial stress induced by the disease, and long-term in-patient treatment.