Aerophagia in adults: a comparison with functional dyspepsia.
BACKGROUND
Aerophagia is a functional upper gastrointestinal disorder that has not previously been well described in a large patient group.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the initial evaluation of patients who presented with symptoms of aerophagia at a tertiary medical centre.


METHODS
A computerized search was used to identify all patients who were diagnosed with aerophagia at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester between 1996 and 2003 (n = 79). Individual medical charts were abstracted for information on the demographics, clinical features, co-morbid diagnoses, diagnostic workup and treatment. Information on presenting symptoms was also collected for a group of patients who were classified as having functional dyspepsia for comparison (n = 121).


RESULTS
The median duration of symptoms in patients with aerophagia was 24 months. The most common symptoms were belching (56%), abdominal pain (19%), bloating (27%) and abdominal distension (19%). Patients with functional dyspepsia had a higher prevalence of reporting nausea, vomiting, early satiety, weight loss and abdominal pain (all P < 0.01, adjusting for age, gender and body mass index). Significantly more patients with aerophagia had anxiety (19%) than those with functional dyspepsia (6%, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Individuals with aerophagia experience prolonged upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Initial presenting symptoms appear to be distinctly different from those who have functional dyspepsia.
Chitkara
D K
DK
Clinical Enteric Neuroscience Translational and Epidemiological Research Program, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Bredenoord
A J
AJ
Rucker
M J
MJ
Talley
N J
NJ
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000328:Adult; D000334:Aerophagy / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006356:Heartburn / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012528:Satiety Response / Q000502:physiology; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology