Factor analysis of clinical signs in stupor

Abstract

Despite various signs in stupor are associated with different nosological groups, diagnostic significance of the associations are yet not clear. Present work was undertaken with the aim to find out any relation of stupor/stupor-like states with various
objective cross-sectional clinical findings. A total of 24 patients presented in stupor and stupor-like states admitted in the psychiatry ward of a tertiary level hospital in Nepal were included in the study. Only 16 out of 36 items in Modified Rogers Scale and 17 out of 32 items in Present State Examination (sections 18-20) were scored. Eight items were common between to rating scales. Factor analysis of thus obtained 25 items revealed 10 factors with eigenvalue more than one. Only three factors were suggestive but none were diagnostic of any of nosological groups. The cross-sectional clinic findings do not seem to have definite diagnostic significance and we thus support a holistic clinical evaluation of patients in stupor to reach a diagnosis