J Neurogastroenterol Motil.  2017 Jan;23(1):80-91. 10.5056/jnm16020.

Somatic Complaints Are Significantly Associated with Chronic Uninvestigated Dyspepsia and Its Symptoms: A Large Cross-sectional Population Based Study

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. awat_feiz@hlth.mui.ac.ir
  • 2Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
  • 3Integrative Functional Gastroenterology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
  • 4Psychosomatic Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
  • 5Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Somatization may influence persistence and severity of symptoms in gastrointestinal diseases. Some studies suggest that somatization is associated with chronic uninvestigated dyspepsia (CUD); however, the association is unclear. We aimed to determine the association between the profiles of somatic complaints with CUD and its symptoms.
METHODS
In a cross-sectional study conducted on 4763 Iranian adults, somatic complaints were assessed using a comprehensive 31-items questionnaire. Patients with CUD were identified by the Rome III diagnostic criteria. Profiles of somatic complaints were derived from factor analysis. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between extracted profiles with CUD and its symptoms.
RESULTS
CUD, bothersome postprandial fullness, early satiation, and epigastric pain or burning was identified in 723 (15.2%), 384 (8.1%), 302 (6.3%), and 371 (7.8%) of the study population. The frequency of all 31 somatic complaints was significantly higher in patients with CUD compared with controls (P < 0.001), and the most frequent was severe fatigue (45.1%). The profiles of somatic complaints were extracted in 4 domains, including "psychological", "gastrointestinal", "neuro-skeletal", and "pharyngeal-respiratory". The psychological (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.44-1.54), gastrointestinal (OR, 2.22; 95% CI, 2.09-2.37), neuro-skeletal (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.44-1.59), and pharyngeal-respiratory (OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.94-2.25) profiles were significantly associated with greater odds of CUD.
CONCLUSIONS
CUD and its symptoms are strongly associated with higher levels of somatic complaints and their related extracted profiles. This perhaps explains that why it can be difficult to treat, however further prospective investigations are required to confirm these associations.

Keyword

Dyspepsia; Gastrointestinal diseases; Mental disorders; Psychosomatic disorders

MeSH Terms

Adult
Burns
Cross-Sectional Studies
Dyspepsia*
Fatigue
Gastrointestinal Diseases
Humans
Logistic Models
Mental Disorders
Prospective Studies
Psychophysiologic Disorders
Satiation
Full Text Links
  • JNM
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr