Dyspepsia in rural residents of Estonia. Life-style factors, psychoemotional disorders, and familial history of gastrointestinal diseases.
BACKGROUND
The association between dyspepsia and life-style factors, psychoemotional disorders, and familial history of gastrointestinal diseases was evaluated in a case-control study of dyspepsia.


METHODS
A group of 500 consecutive dyspeptic patients, attending a rural health care center, and a sex- and age-matched control group (n = 500) were interviewed using a specially compiled questionnaire.


RESULTS
The dyspeptic subjects showed a significantly higher prevalence of psychoemotional disorders (p < 0.001), irregular dietary regimen (p < 0.05), and familial history of gastrointestinal diseases. The number of ex-smokers was also larger in dyspeptic subjects (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study showed that the subject group with the heterogeneous syndrome of dyspepsia has several characteristics in common.
Lond
E
E
Dept. of Gastroenterology, Estonian Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Tallinn, Estonia.
Varmann
P
P
Elshtein
N
N
Josia
U
U
Litvinenko
T
T
Mumma
M
M
Bushina
V
V
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics; D004957:Estonia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology