DYSPEPSIA IN GENERAL-PRACTICE - PSYCHOLOGICAL FINDINGS IN RELATION TOHELICOBACTER-PYLORI SERUM ANTIBODIES

Questionnaire data based on traditional concepts for measuring hypocho ndriasis and depression were related to serological data on Helicobact er pylori antibodies in 110 of 130 consecutive patients, aged 18-65 yr , consulting for dyspeptic symptoms in general practice. Of the patien ts thirty-seven (33.6%) and seventy-three (66.4%) were classified as H . pylori positives and H. pylori negatives, respectively, the H. pylor i positive patients being significantly older than H. pylori negative patients. Factor analyses of the questionnaire data indicated the hete rogeneity of each of the traditional concepts for measuring hypochondr iasis and depression but succeeded in differentiating orthogonally bet ween two hypochondriasis factors and three depression factors. Hierarc hical regression analyses of factor scores, controlling for the influe nce of age and sex, indicated higher H. pylori antibody activity to be associated with less hypochondriacal signs of anxiety and uneasiness. It is hypothesized, that in dyspepsia without signs of H. pylori infe ction, somatization may account to a substantial extent for the illnes s.