Functional dyspepsia is associated with sleep disorders

Background & aims: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is highly prevalent. We evaluated sleep quality in FD patients, and quantified the relationship between disordered sleep, FD severity, and mental and physical well-being.

Methods: Study participants were adults who met Rome III criteria for FD. Demographics, tobacco and alcohol use, exercise, level of activity, and FD symptoms were determined based on data collected from 131 patients (mean age 50 ± 15 years; 82% female and 94% Caucasian) who completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) questionnaire, the Short Form 12 Health Survey (SF-12), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Healthy controls (n = 50; mean age = 44 ± 11 years; 92% female) answered the same questions excluding those which focused on FD symptoms.

Results: The mean duration of FD symptoms was 106 ± 98 months. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression score was higher in FD patients than in controls (P < .001). Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Insomnia Severity Index scores were higher in FD patients with moderate and severe symptoms compared with those with mild symptoms and controls (P < .001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis associated FD (odds ratio [OR], 3.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.47-7.20) and female sex (odds ratio, 2.36; 95% confidence interval, 0.99-5.7) with an increased likelihood for disordered sleep.

Conclusions: FD is associated with disordered sleep. Sleep disturbances in FD patients appear to be associated with symptom severity and higher levels of anxiety. Further research is needed to determine whether disordered sleep promotes symptoms of FD.