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A prospective 1‐year follow‐up study in patients with functional or organic dyspepsia: changes in gastrointestinal symptoms, mental distress and fear of serious illness
Author(s) -
PAJALA M.,
HEIKKINEN M.,
HINTIKKA J.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
alimentary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.308
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1365-2036
pISSN - 0269-2813
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2006.03108.x
Subject(s) - medicine , psychosocial , distress , anxiety , mental illness , psychiatry , emotional distress , disease , prospective cohort study , mental health , clinical psychology
Summary Background Psychosocial factors are common among patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). Whether they affect the course of the disease remains unresolved. Aim To evaluate whether reassuring investigations of primary care patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) and organic dyspepsia (OD) influence gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and psychological factors, and to assess whether these changes are correlated. Methods Four hundred consecutive patients with dyspepsia were referred for thorough examinations. Patients completed questionnaires screening symptoms at baseline and on 1‐year follow‐up. Results At baseline, there was no difference in GI symptoms, prevalence of mental distress or fear of serious illness between patients with FD or OD. On follow‐up, the patients with FD had more GI symptoms, but there was no difference in mental distress or fear of serious illness. Relevant GI symptom reduction related to alleviation of mental distress (53.4% vs. 20.5%, P < 0.001) and fear of serious illness (56.5% vs. 23.7%, P = 0.002), but reached statistical significance only in patients with OD. Conclusions Gastrointestinal symptoms in FD patients are long lasting compared with those with organic diseases. Reassuring investigations could lower mental distress and fear of serious illness in these patients. Psychological factor change correlates with the change in GI symptom severity and is not specific to FGIDs.