Abstract

ABSTRACT: Briquets syndrome, originally described more than 100 years ago, has recently become a subject of concern for physicians who work with adolescents. It is a chronic disorder that primarily affects women, is characterized by many symptoms involving a number of organ systems, and usually has a frustrating clinical course. It typically begins in the second or third decades, and only rarely subsides with time. Multiple diagnostic procedures, medications, and surgical operations are common, usually without evidence of significant disease. Complications can include substance abuse, depression, and suicide. Management centers upon viewing the symptoms as the patients attempts to communicate difficulties in coping with stress.