Functional dyspepsia impairs quality of life in the adult population

Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2011 Jun;33(11):1215-24. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2011.04640.x. Epub 2011 Mar 28.

Abstract

Background: Data on the impact of functional dyspepsia on health-related quality of life in the general adult population are scarce.

Aim: To explore the impact of functional dyspepsia applying the Rome III definition on health-related quality of life in the general population.

Method: A random sample of an adult Swedish population (n=1001, The Kalixanda study) was invited to undergo an oesophagogastroduodenoscopy. An extended abdominal symptom questionnaire and Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire, which includes eight domains measuring physical, mental and social aspects of quality of life, were completed at the clinic visit just before oesophagogastroduodenoscopy.

Results: Two hundred and two (20%) individuals reported uninvestigated dyspepsia (UID), 157 (16%) functional dyspepsia (FD), 52 (5%) epigastric pain syndrome (EPS) and 122 (12%) postprandial distress syndrome (PDS). UID, FD and PDS had a clinically meaningful (a ≥ 5 point) and statistically significant impact (P<0.05) on health-related quality of life in all SF-36 domains except for Role Emotional. EPS had a significant impact on Bodily Pain and Vitality. Overlap of FD with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) had a significant impact on Bodily Pain (P=0.002) and General Health (P=0.02) while FD overlap with gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms (GERS) had a significant impact on Bodily Pain (P=0.02) compared with FD without any overlap with IBS or GERS.

Conclusion: Functional dyspepsia impacts all main domains describing physical, mental and social aspects of health-related quality of life in the general population. Overlap of functional dyspepsia with irritable bowel syndrome or gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms impacts the domain related to bodily pain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Dyspepsia / epidemiology
  • Dyspepsia / psychology*
  • Endoscopy, Digestive System / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Quality of Life*
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Sweden
  • Young Adult