[Psycho-emotional distress and gastroesophageal reflux syndrome]

61 patients with symptoms suggestive for gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) disease, with or without endoscopic evidence of esophagitis, were studied in order to recognize any neurotic traits connected to GERD and its esophageal motility disorders. The results were compared with those from a group of patients without digestive diseases as well as those from a control group of the same age and status. Psychological assessment was made by using the Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire and esophageal motility pattern was analyzed with a low-compliance manometric system. Patients with gastro-esophageal reflux (GER), irrespectively or not from esophagitis, showed, after such a psychological assessment, neurotic traits more pronounced than control subjects and patients without digestive disease. In GER patients, it was observed a close relationship between some psychological traits and a few esophageal manometric variable. In the two groups of GER patients, with and without esophagitis, it was not found any significant difference in scores referring to the evaluated psychological traits apart from symptoms somatization, prevailing in GER patients without esophagitis. These results support the pathogenetic role of psychological distresses in the genesis of GER, even if other factors may be necessary to the development of organic inflammatory lesions such as esophagitis.