The literature regarding the management of factitious disorder (FD) is diverse and generally of case reports or case series.

Two UK investigators have reviewed the literature on factitious disease, when people fake an illness, in the fourth 2008 issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.

Data were extracted and outcomes were assessed using an adaptation of the Global Improvement Scale. Results were analysed by parametric statistical tests; a meta-analysis was not possible. Thirty-two case reports and 13 case series were eligible for inclusion. Analysis of the case reports found no significant difference in outcomes between confrontational and non-confrontational approaches [t(29) = 0.72, p = 0.48], between treatment with psychotherapy compared to no psychotherapy [t(30) = 0.69, p = 0.48], and when psychiatric medication had been prescribed compared with not [t(30) = 0.35, p = 0.73]. A trend was observed that a longer length of treatment lead to better outcomes, but this was not significant [F(5, 26) = 1.17, p = 0.35]. The consecutive case series demonstrated that many FD sufferers were not engaged in treatment and were lost to follow-up but did not provide any strong evidence regarding the effectiveness of different management approaches.

The investigators concluded that there is an absence of sufficient robust research to determine the effectiveness of any management technique for FD. The establishment of a central reporting register to facilitate the development of evidence-based guidelines is recommended.

PSYCHOTHERAPY AND PSYCHOSOMATICS
karger/PPS