PSYCHOLOGICAL-FACTORS AND SOMATIC SYMPTOMS IN FUNCTIONAL DYSPEPSIA - A COMPARISON WITH DUODENAL-ULCER AND HEALTHY CONTROLS

One hundred patients with functional dyspepsia, 100 patients with duod enal ulcer and 100 healthy controls were assessed on anamnestic factor s, somatic symptoms and psychological measures. Patients with function al dyspepsia had significantly higher levels of state-trait anxiety, g eneral psychopathology, depression, a lower general level of functioni ng and more somatic complaints from different organ systems, especiall y the musculo-skeletal system, compared to patients with duodenal ulce r and healthy controls. Patients with functional dyspepsia had more fr equent dyspepsia symptoms and a longer disease history than duodenal u lcer patients. Discriminant analyses using a model of fifteen psycholo gical and anamnestic variables, classified correctly 71.5% of the subj ects due to diagnoses. The test for multiple somatic complaints (Giess ener Beschwerdebogen) was the most important discriminating factor (Ei genvalue 0.78). Seventy-five per cent of the patients were correctly c lassified, 71% by diagnosis with respect to diagnoses of duodenal ulce r and functional dyspepsia using frequency of dyspeptic symptoms as di scriminating factor (Eigenvalue 0.40). Functional dyspepsia seems to b e a disease entity of its own, distinct from duodenal ulcer and strong ly associated with psychological factors.