[ANXIETY AND DEPRESSIVE DISORDERS IN FUNCTIONAL DYSPEPSIA: CAUSE OR CONSEQUENCE?]

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Psychiatry
• Quality of Life Research

Background:

• Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common gastrointestinal disorder with complex pathophysiology.
• The role of psychological factors like anxiety and depression in FD is increasingly recognized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression in FD patients.
• To investigate the relationship between psychological status, symptom severity, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in FD.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 125 FD patients (Rome criteria) and 30 healthy controls.
• Utilized the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the SF-8 questionnaire for quality of life assessment.
• Assessed symptom severity using the Leuven Postprandial Distress Scale (LPDS).

Main Results:

• Anxiety and depression were significantly more prevalent in FD patients (50.4% and 42.4%) compared to controls (p < 0.001).
• Both anxiety and depression correlated with self-reported symptom severity (p < 0.05).
• Symptom severity was the strongest predictor of anxiety and depression, which independently impacted HRQOL.

Conclusions:

• Anxiety and depression are frequent comorbidities in FD, linked to symptom severity and reduced HRQOL.
• The findings support a biopsychosocial model for understanding FD.
• Routine screening for anxiety and depression is recommended in FD patient evaluation.