[A preliminary study of acute gastrointestinal infection-associated functional dyspepsia]

To investigate the clinical characters and the possible pathogenesis of post-infectious functional dyspepsia (PI-FD).

550 patients suffered with acute gastrointestinal infection were followed-up for half year to evaluate the prevalence and symptoms of PI-FD. Meanwhile, thirty patients with non-special functional despepsra (NS-FD) and twenty healthy volunteers were enrolled. The number of mast cells, the total amount of tryptase and histamine released were determined. Furthermore, the ultra-structure of mast cells was observed by electron microscope, and the number of mast cells located within 5 microm of nerve fibers was also countered.

The prevalence of PI-FD is about 6.7% (35/522) after acute gastrointestinal infection in half year. The scores of epigastric pain, epigastric burning sensation and early satiety in patients with PI-FD were significantly higher than those in patients with NS-FD (P < 0.05 for all), so did the scores of histological chronic inflammation in gastric mucosa (P < 0.05). There is no significant difference in the number of mast cells between patients with PI-FD and NS-FD (P > 0.05). However, the number of activated mast cells in patients with PI-FD is significantly higher than that in patients with NS-FD. The total amount of tryptase in gastric mucosa and the histamine released in patients with PI-FD is higher than that in patients with NS-FD and healthy volunteers (P < 0.05 for all). Under the electron microscope, the number of mast cells located within 5 microm of nerve fibers in PI-FD patients was significant higher than that in other two groups (P < 0.05 for all).

PI-FD is probably a specific type of functional dyspepsia. Epigastric pain, epigastric burning sensation, and early satiety are the major symptoms in these patients. Mast cells maybe involved in the pathogenesis of PI-FD.