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Rev Paul Pediatr 2022 6;40:e2021101. Epub 2022 May 6.

Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess interpersonal nonsexual violence against children and adolescents in a tertiary university hospital.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 240 patients under nonsexual violence situation for 15 consecutive years. Data analyses included demographic data, hospital referral site, type and author of nonsexual violence, legal referral, laboratorial and imaging examinations, and outcomes. Read More

Int J Legal Med 2022 May;136(3):973

Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Turmstraße 21 (Haus N), 10559, Berlin, Germany.

Acta Med Hist Adriat 2021 06 17;19(1):83-100. Epub 2021 Jun 17.

University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapče, Bolnička cesta 32, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. E-mail:

Hypersexuality disorder (or sexual addiction or excessive sexual drive or compulsive sexual behaviour disorder) is a controversial condition that is present in the International Classification of Disease but not in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders. It is defined as a clinical syndrome characterised by a persistent pattern of failure to control intense, repetitive sexual impulses or urges resulting in repetitive sexual behaviour. The condition is more prevalent in men than in women. Read More

Int J Legal Med 2022 May 22;136(3):695-704. Epub 2022 Feb 22.

Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Turmstraße 21 (Haus N), 10559, Berlin, Germany.

After the use of thallium as rat poison was banned, the knowledge about the severe and treacherous course of poisonings with this toxic metal has widely been lost. In the present case, the male victim sustained two insidious poisoning attacks in 2017 and 2020 by the perpetrator, his female life partner. In the first poisoning episode, he suffered from increasing heavy pain of the abdomen, stinging pain of both legs, persistent obstipation, hyperesthesia, and, after about 2 weeks, tuft-wise loss of hair as typical symptoms of the thallium poisoning. Read More

Cutis 2021 Dec;108(6):E23-E25

Department of Dermatology, Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University School of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey.

Secretan syndrome (SS) is a recurrent or chronic form of factitious lymphedema that usually affects the dorsal aspect of the hand and is accepted as a subtype of Munchausen syndrome. Secretan syndrome usually is induced by compression of the extremity by tourniquets, ligatures, cords, or similar equipment. This unconsciously motivated and consciously produced lymphedema is an expression of underlying psychiatric disease. Read More

Acta Derm Venereol 2022 Feb 22;102:adv00654. Epub 2022 Feb 22.

Department of Dermatology, University of São Paulo, Rua Itapeva 500-3ª, 01332-000 São Paulo, SP, Brasil.

J Audiol Otol 2022 Apr 20;26(2):61-67. Epub 2021 Dec 20.

Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.

Background And Objectives: To describe all possible facets of non-organic hearing disorders (NOHD) and emphasize the superiority of auditory steady-state response (ASSR) over previously employed hearing assessment tools.

Subjects And Methods: A series of seven patients consisting of three males and four females with NOHD were assessed at Attikon University Hospital (age range: 17-59 years). Three patients had Munchausen syndrome, three intentionally feigned hearing loss, and one intentionally feigned normal hearing. Read More

BMC Psychiatry 2021 11 23;21(1):588. Epub 2021 Nov 23.

CHU Rennes, Service de Médecine Interne et Immunologie Clinique, Inserm, CIC 1414, F-35000, Rennes, France.

Background: Despite cases of factitious disorder imposed on self being documented in the literature for decades, it appears to remain an under-identified and under-diagnosed problem. The present study aimed to explore factitious disorder imposed on self in a series of French patients.

Methods: Patients 18 years old and over with factitious disorder imposed on self were retrospectively included by two independent reviewers according to DSM-5 criteria in Rennes University Hospital for the period 1995 to 2019. Read More

Turk Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2021 Sep 15;59(3):230-233. Epub 2021 Oct 15.

Department of Radiology and Imaging, University of Health Sciences Turkey, Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.

Subcutaneous cervicofacial emphysema is a rare and life-threatening condition that results from various causes. In this report, we documented a case of a patient with severe subcutaneous cervicofacial emphysema a condition that falls under the umbrella of Munchausen's syndrome and discussed the workup of this patient. Thorough diagnostic investigations seeking the etiology of the condition proved unsuccessful. Read More

Indian J Pediatr 2022 Jan 18;89(1):88. Epub 2021 Oct 18.

Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, 110029, India.

Leg Med (Tokyo) 2022 Feb 25;54:101968. Epub 2021 Sep 25.

Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College & Hospital, Chandigarh, India.

A factitious disorder leading to the self-infliction of highly counter-intuitive burns was diagnosed in a middle-aged female. The injuries were otherwise alleged to have been sustained by assault inflicted upon her by an unknown person. The case was diagnosed by medico-legal interpretation of injuries, in spite of a highly deceptive and concocted history by the patient and her husband. Read More

Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2022 02 8;96(2):190-199. Epub 2021 Sep 8.

Department of Endocrinology, Seth GS Medical College & KEM Hospital, Mumbai, India.

Objective: Literature regarding utility of Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT in insulinoma localization across various subgroups [benign/malignant/multiple endocrine neoplasia-1 (MEN-1) syndrome associated] remains scarce. In this study, the performance of Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT was compared with contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) and Ga-NODAGA-Exendin-4 PET/CT (whenever available) in an endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (EHH) cohort.

Design: Retrospective audit. Read More

Endocrinol Diabetes Metab Case Rep 2021 Aug 1;2021. Epub 2021 Aug 1.

Unit of Dermatology of Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.

Summary: Factitious Cushing's syndrome (CS) is a very rare form of Münchausen syndrome. Its presentation and course are extremely heterogeneous, and diagnosis is generally challenging. We report the case of a 52-year-old woman who was initially investigated because of the occurrence of cushingoid features. Read More

Zhonghua Yan Ke Za Zhi 2021 Aug;57(8):621-623

Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology ＆ Visual Sciences, Beijing 100005, China.

A six-and-a-half-year-old girl with white secretions in her eyes for 2 weeks was treated in the Ophthalmology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University after ineffective treatment in several hospitals. The patient refused to communicate with the doctor and receive detailed examination. Only conjunctival congestion was found in both eyes. Read More

Emerg Med Clin North Am 2021 Aug 11;39(3):589-603. Epub 2021 Jun 11.

Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 550 16th Street, Box 0632, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. Electronic address:

Emergency medicine clinicians are mandated reporters, legally, which obligates clinicians to report any behavior suspicious for child maltreatment to local authorities. Pediatric patients often present to the emergency department with concern for physical injury and other pervasive complaints. In some cases, these injuries are nonaccidental. Read More

Forensic Sci Med Pathol 2021 09 2;17(3):431-436. Epub 2021 Jul 2.

Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.

Factitious disorders (FDs) are well known to a majority of physicians; however, the corresponding ICD-10 diagnosis F68.1 remains severely under assigned and often misdiagnosed. Based on a previously conducted nationwide survey in Germany, we extended the analyzed variables to further understand FD characteristics. Read More

J Clin Aesthet Dermatol 2021 May 1;14(5):22-24. Epub 2021 May 1.

Dr. Sung is with the Department of Dermatology, University of California Irvine in Irvine, California.

Factitious disorders and factitious disorders imposed on another are a prevalent encounter during dermatology visits. Here, we present a case of a pediatric patient who presented with ulcer-like lesions that, based on initial biopsy, suggested an immunobullous etiology. Further exploration revealed her underlying psychiatric disorder. Read More

Neurol Clin Pract 2021 Feb;11(1):64-68

Department of Neurology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA.

Purpose Of Review: Munchausen syndrome by tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is a phenomenon we describe as patients exhibiting factitious symptoms to assume the role of the sick patient, desiring and received tPA, with no alternative diagnosis or secondary gain to better account for their presentation. To illustrate this phenomenon and its magnitude, we present a series of cases of Munchausen syndrome by tPA, prevalence in our stroke center, and highlight one illustrative case.

Recent Findings: Of 335 cases with tPA administration over 29 months, 10 were confirmed as Munchausen syndrome by tPA, reflecting a 3. Read More

J Oral Rehabil 2021 Sep 3;48(9):1077-1088. Epub 2021 Jun 3.

Department of Biomedical Technologies, School of Dentistry, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.

Background: Based on a variety of studies conducted in recent years, some of the factors that might contribute to the negative treatment responses of some TMD patients have been elucidated.

Methods: This paper describes known vulnerability factors that make individuals susceptible to developing temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), as well as those that contribute to the perpetuation of such problems. In addition, the topic of iatrogenesis is discussed as a major contributor to the negative outcomes that can be seen in this field. Read More

Clin Med Insights Case Rep 2021 21;14:11795476211009234. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Endocrinology Research Centre, Moscow, Russia.

Hypoglycemic syndrome is a life-threatening condition that can lead to hypoglycemic coma and death. Surreptitious hypoglycemic syndrome is the deliberate use of insulin preparations or oral hypoglycemic drugs aimed to reduce blood glucose level. If human insulin is injected, high level of immunoreactive insulin (IRI) and low level of C-peptide at the moment of hypoglycemia are always detected. Read More

Cureus 2021 Mar 27;13(3):e14135. Epub 2021 Mar 27.

Department of Mental Health, Ministry of the National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, SAU.

Background Factitious disorder (FD) is a psychiatric disease where signs and symptoms are produced, falsified, or exaggerated consciously in the absence of clear external motivations. Through needless medical visits, costly investigatory testing, and potentially long hospital stays, patients with FD waste valuable time and resources, which affects both the patient and the healthcare system. It can be very challenging for physicians who have never encountered patients with FD to recognize them promptly as symptoms of FD vary greatly. Read More

Ann Clin Psychiatry 2021 05;33(2):e8-e12

Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA.

Background: In representative cases of Munchausen by internet (MBI), an individual (or "poser") goes online to falsely report or exaggerate illnesses or life crises. The principal goal, as in factitious disorder imposed on self or another, is to garner emotional satisfaction. We provide the first evidence that MBI can target a specific type of health care provider-in this case, birthing doulas. Read More

Rev Mal Respir 2021 Apr 5;38(4):418-422. Epub 2021 Apr 5.

CIC-CRB 1404, unité de physiologie respiratoire et sportive, centre hospitalier universitaire de Rouen, 1, rue de Germont, 76000 Rouen, France.

Introduction: Vocal Cord Dysfunction (VCD) is a syndrome characterized by paradoxical adduction of the vocal folds during breathing. Its non-specific clinical manifestations frequently lead to misdiagnosis and delay in its treatment. The treatment of VCD is not pharmacological but rehabilitative and remains poorly appreciated. Read More

SAGE Open Med Case Rep 2021 12;9:2050313X211000869. Epub 2021 Mar 12.

Department of Internal Medicine, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, Thimphu, Bhutan.

Factitious disorders and Munchausen syndromes present with history and physical symptoms to all specialties, and they are often extensively evaluated. Diagnosis of Munchausen syndrome is a challenge and patients often do not receive the correct diagnosis and appropriate care especially in settings where access to mental health professionals is difficult. We present a case of recurrent bleed from the right ear, bilateral profound hearing loss and jerky movement of limbs that was extensively evaluated and followed up for 4 years until a diagnosis of Munchausen syndrome was reached. Read More

Gen Dent 2021 Mar-Apr;69(2):56-59

Munchausen syndrome (MunS), or factitious disorder imposed on self, is an exceedingly rare and immensely difficult syndrome to identify and manage and is considered a diagnosis of exclusion. Few reports exist in the dental literature to date, so the objective of this article is to describe a case of MunS in a 60-year-old woman who sought treatment for bilateral jaw pain and uncontrolled jaw movements. The patient's symptoms started 19 months previously, following placement of a 6-unit metal-ceramic bridge. Read More

Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry 2021 Jul 24;26(3):695-705. Epub 2021 Feb 24.

Department of Psychiatry, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, USA.

Pediatric presentations of factitious disorder (Munchausen syndrome) remain underdiagnosed and poorly understood compared to adult cases. The purpose of this study is to review the current literature on child and adolescent factitious disorder in order to better understand the differences between pediatric and adult presentations of this disorder. We also present the case of an adolescent girl with factitious disorder; her hospital course draws attention to the excessive healthcare expenditures and risk of iatrogenic complications associated with this diagnosis. Read More

Cureus 2021 Feb 9;13(2):e13243. Epub 2021 Feb 9.

Internal Medicine, CentraCare Hospital, St. Cloud, USA.

Factitious disorder (FD) imposed on self is one of the most challenging and controversial problems in medicine. It is characterized by falsified medical or psychiatric symptoms where patients misrepresent, simulate, or cause symptoms of an illness in the absence of obvious tangible gains. Munchausen syndrome accounts for approximately 10% of all factitious illnesses and represents its most malignant form. Read More

BMJ Open 2020 12 31;10(12):e043864. Epub 2020 Dec 31.

SAPPHIRE Group, Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK

Objectives: To devise an assessment tool to aid discharge and admission decision-making in relation to children and young people in hospital urgent and emergency care facilities, and thereby improve the quality of care that patients receive, using a clinical prediction modelling approach.

Design: Observational cohort study with internal and external validation of a predictive tool.

Setting: Two general emergency departments (EDs) and an urgent care centre in the North of England. Read More

Clin Case Rep 2020 Dec 22;8(12):3634-3635. Epub 2020 Oct 22.

Department of General Internal Medicine Peking Union Medical College Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College Beijing China.

To learn about the imaging characteristics of pulmonary emboli caused by metallic mercury and be aware that an underlying psychiatric condition might exist when mercury poisoning is not caused by occupational exposure. Read More

J Am Acad Psychiatry Law 2020 12;48(4):431-435

Dr. Dike is Medical Director, Office of the Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Law and Psychiatry Division, Yale University School of Medicine.