Abstract

Fifty six patients who had been admitted with a conversion disorder other than pseudoseizures were interviewed; mostly by telephone. The median interval was 4.5 years. If a patient had improved during a stay in hospital the eventual outcome was good in 96%, against only 30% in the 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%) subsequently developed an organic deficit that, in retrospect, might be related to the initial episode.