Objects:The aim of this study was to find out the differences in comorbidity of DSM-Ⅲ-R
diagnosis and in symptom pattern between Hwabyung and non-Hwabyung groups.
Methods:The DSM-Ⅲ-R diagnosis and somatic symptoms related with Hwabyung were studied
in 287 patients with depressive, anxiety and somatization disorders:patients were divided into two
groups, Hwabyung and non-Hwabyung groups according to the opinions of themselves and their
neighbors. Diagnostic criteria was DSM-Ⅲ-R and instruments for collecting data were Korean version
of DIS-Ⅲ, which included culturally related 21 additional items in somatization disorder.
Results:Hwabyung was more prevalent in women and in older ages. Hwabyung group had higher
categorized scores of somatization disorder, panic disorder and major depression than non-Hwabyung
group. Odds ratio showed that somatization disorder, dysthymia and panic disorder had highest
possibility to coexist with Hwabyung. Somatic symptoms which proved to be characteristics in
Hwabyung were headache, blurred vision, palpitation, lump in throat, stomach rumble, chest tightness
and stifling, pushing-up in the chest, urinary frequency, facial flushing, frequent sighing, heaviness in
the head, shaking in head and pain on eyeballs. Factor analysis with somatic symptoms yielded 4
factors.
Discrimination analysis with scores of four factors and categorized scores of DSM-Ⅲ-R diagnosis
showed that somatization factor Ⅱ(pushing-up in the chest, heaviness in the head, and chest tightness
and stifling), major depression and generalized anxiety were most highly related variables with
Hwabyung which discriminate Hwabyung from non-Hwabyung in 73.5% accuracy.
Conclusion:The results suggest that Hwabyung is an atypical psychiatric syndrome combined
with characteristic somatization symptoms, depression and anxiety.