No increase in prevalence of somatization in functional vs organic dyspepsia: a cross-sectional survey.
BACKGROUND
Psychological factors are associated with functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Literature suggests that somatization is associated with functional dyspepsia (FD). However, the relationship between organic dyspepsia (OD), FD, and FD subtypes and somatization is poorly described. We aimed to examine this issue in a cross-sectional study of secondary care patients.


METHODS
Demographic and GI symptom data were collected from 4224 adult patients via the Rome III questionnaire. Somatization data were collected using the patient health questionnaire-12. Mean somatization score and number of somatic symptoms were compared between patients with organic and FD, and between FD subtypes using analysis of variance. The same comparison was undertaken for the proportion of patients reporting individual somatic symptoms.


RESULTS
Exactly, 783 patients met criteria for dyspepsia, of whom 231 (29.5%) had organic disease following upper GI endoscopy. Mean somatization scores and number of somatic symptoms were no higher in functional vs OD (p = 0.23; p = 0.19). In addition, while the prevalence of somatization in FD was relatively high, there was no difference in severity of somatization in FD subgroups.


CONCLUSIONS
Somatization is associated with functional and OD to the same degree. Overall severity of somatization did not appear to vary according to FD subtype.
Leeds Gastroenterology Institute, St. James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK.|Leeds Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
D J
DJ
Gracie
Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, Gastroenterology Division, McMaster University, Health Sciences Center, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
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P
Bercik
Gastroenterology Department, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
D G
DG
Morgan
Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, Gastroenterology Division, McMaster University, Health Sciences Center, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
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C
Bolino
Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, Gastroenterology Division, McMaster University, Health Sciences Center, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
M I
MI
Pintos-Sanchez
Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, Gastroenterology Division, McMaster University, Health Sciences Center, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
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P
Moayyedi
Leeds Gastroenterology Institute, St. James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK.|Leeds Institute of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
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AC
Ford
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
epigastric pain; postprandial distress; somatization; symptom severity