A 15-year-old girl complains of dizziness and sensation of lack of air that she develops in emotionally straining situations. Relief occurs after she takes Corvalol. Objectively: hyperhidrosis and marble-like pattern of the skin of her palms and feet. Clinical and instrumental examination revealed no organic alterations of the central nervous, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. What provisional diagnosis can be made?

Answer options

1. Acute epiglottitis
2. Bronchial asthma
3. Somatoform autonomic dysfunction
4. Stenosing laryngotracheitis
5. Obstructive bronchitis

Explanation

This task presents the symptoms of respiratory system disorders (dizziness and sensation of lack of air), symptoms of hyperhidrosis of the skin of the palms and feet. There are no signs of the organic nature of these disorders (clinical and instrumental examination revealed no organic alterations). But, at the same time, there is an indication of the psychogenic cause of the symptoms (symptoms develops in emotionally straining situations) and their relief by taking cortisol. Thus, it is possible to differentiate the organic pathology of the respiratory from the autonomic nervous system. Psychiatry: [Textbook] V.L. Gavenko, V.M. Sinayko, G.A. Samardakova and others; reduction by V.L. Gavenko, – Kharkiv: Region-inform, 2006. – 324 – 325 P.