Mapping the Network of Persistent Somatic Symptoms Across Diseases: A Longitudinal Analysis from the SOMACROSS Research Unit

  1. André Strahl
  2. Kerstin Maehder
  3. Anne Toussaint
  4. Nele Hasenbank
  5. Christoph Schramm
  6. Ansgar W. Lohse
  7. Meike Shedden-Mora
  8. Tobias B. Huber
  9. Stefan W. Schneider
  10. Sonja Ständer
  11. Yvonne Nestoriuc
  12. Olaf von dem Knesebeck
  13. Eik Vettorazzi
  14. Antonia Zapf
  15. Bernd Löwe
Read the full article See related articles

Listed in

This article is not in any list yet, why not save it to one of your lists.
Log in to save this article

Abstract

Background

Persistent Somatic Symptoms (PSS) are common, functionally disruptive, multifactorial, and often remain stable over time. Understanding how symptoms interact may clarify transdiagnostic patterns and inform treatment. This study investigated symptom networks in a transdiagnostic sample to identify central symptoms and assess temporal stability.

Methods

Patients (n=1134; 63.7% female; mean age 50.6±16.3 years) from the transdiagnostic SOMACROSS research unit were analysed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15), modified Pain Disability Index (PDI), and two global items on overall symptom severity and impairment due to symptoms (EURONET-SOMA) at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Networks were estimated with regularised partial correlations (EBICglasso). Network stability and change were tested with bootstrap procedures and the Network Comparison Test (NCT).

Results

At baseline, four symptom clusters were identified: gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal pain, cardio-autonomic, and fatigue-sleep. Fatigue/low energy was a central symptom linking different network domains. Global symptom severity and impairment (EURONET-SOMA items) showed the strongest connectivity, reflecting their broad influence. Functional disability in home responsibilities and recreation (PDI items) acted as bridging nodes, connecting somatic symptoms with daily functioning. The follow-up network closely resembled the baseline structure. NCT confirmed temporal stability (global strength p =.815, structure invariance p =.180). Thus, both symptom clusters and central nodes remained consistent over six months.

Conclusion

Fatigue, overall symptom severity, impairment, and functional disability emerged as central drivers within network. Their stable centrality highlights them as possible intervention targets, suggesting that reducing fatigue and disability may interrupt self-reinforcing symptom cycles. These findings support a transdiagnostic view on PSS as a stable, interconnected system.

Highlights

  • Symptom clusters: gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal pain, cardio-autonomic and fatigue-sleep

  • Fatigue and functional impairment were central symptom nodes across time points

  • Global impairment and global symptom severity ratings were connected to somatic symptoms

  • PSS network remained stable over 6 months, with no changes in strength or configuration

Article activity feed

  1. Version published to 10.1101/2025.09.03.25334991 on medRxiv