Determinants of symptoms in functional dyspepsia: gastric sensorimotor function, psychosocial factors or somatisation?
BACKGROUND
Gastric sensorimotor dysfunction, psychosocial factors and somatisation are all implicated in symptom generation in functional dyspepsia (FD).


OBJECTIVE
To determine the relative contribution of each of these factors to overall dyspeptic symptom severity and weight loss in FD.


METHODS
In 201 consecutive tertiary care patients with FD (mean age 40.1 (SD 12.6) years), gastric sensorimotor function was studied using barostat (sensitivity, compliance and accommodation). Psychosocial factors (depression and anxiety disorders, positive and negative affect, perceived stress, alexithymia and history of abuse), somatisation and co-morbid irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic fatigue symptoms were assessed using self-report questionnaires. Variables were correlated with dyspepsia symptom severity (DSS) and weight loss. Hierarchical multiple linear regression was used to identify determinants of DSS and weight loss.


RESULTS
Multiple linear regression identified the following determinants of DSS: gastric sensitivity (beta = 0.77, p = 0.25), depression (beta = 0.12, p = 0.06) and somatisation (beta = 0.48, p<0.0001) (controlling for age and occupation, R(2) = 0.29, p<0.0001). The effect of depression on DSS is partially mediated by somatisation. Gastric sensitivity (beta = 2.87, p = 0.08), history of childhood sexual abuse (beta = 9.37, p = 0.0006), depression (beta = 0.19, p = 0.24) and somatisation (beta = 0.67, p = 0.01) are independent determinants of weight loss (controlling for gender and occupation, R(2) = 0.42, p<0.0001). The effect of depression on weight loss is fully mediated by somatisation.


CONCLUSIONS
Symptom severity and weight loss in FD are determined by psychosocial factors (depression, abuse history) and somatisation, and only to a lesser extent by gastric sensorimotor function. The importance of psychosocial factors and somatisation compared to gastric sensorimotor function is most pronounced in hypersensitive patients.
Van Oudenhove
L
L
Department of Pathophysiology, Gastroenterology Section, University of Leuven & University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium.
Vandenberghe
J
J
Geeraerts
B
B
Vos
R
R
Persoons
P
P
Fischler
B
B
Demyttenaere
K
K
Tack
J
J
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D003109:Colonic Diseases, Functional / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004063:Digestion / Q000502:physiology; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology