Sleep disturbance due to heartburn and regurgitation is common in patients with functional dyspepsia

Reflux symptoms (heartburn and regurgitation) are common in patients with functional dyspepsia who do not have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship of reflux symptoms with sleep disturbances in patients with functional dyspepsia without GERD and in those with GERD.

This post-hoc analysis of data from the Diamond study (NCT00291746) included patients with frequent upper gastrointestinal symptoms, of whom 137 had functional dyspepsia and 193 had GERD (diagnosed by endoscopy and pH monitoring). Patients completed symptom questionnaires and were interviewed by physicians.

During the seven nights before study entry, 46.0% of patients with functional dyspepsia and 64.8% of those with GERD reported sleep disturbances (any frequency) related to reflux symptoms. Frequent (often/every night) sleep disturbances were experienced by 12.4% of patients with functional dyspepsia and 24.9% of those with GERD (p = 0.005). Among patients with functional dyspepsia, the prevalence of sleep disturbances was highest in those whose heartburn and/or regurgitation were moderate to severe (vs mild/very mild) and frequent (4-7 vs 1-3 days/week).

Sleep disturbances due to reflux symptoms are common in patients with functional dyspepsia who do not have GERD, and become more frequent with increasing reflux symptom severity and frequency.