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. 2013 Nov 4:2013:532503.
doi: 10.1155/2013/532503. eCollection 2013.

Prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders according to Rome III criteria in Italian morbidly obese patients

Antonella Santonicola  1 , Luigi Angrisani, Carolina Ciacci, Paola Iovino
Affiliations

Prevalence of functional gastrointestinal disorders according to Rome III criteria in Italian morbidly obese patients

Antonella Santonicola et al. ScientificWorldJournal. .

Abstract

The relationship between GI symptoms and obesity has yet to be completely clarified.

Aim: To determine in a morbidly obese southern Italy adult population the prevalence of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (FGID) and its association with the presence of a Binge Eating (BE) behavior pattern.

Methods: Consecutive obese patients eligible for bariatric surgery and 100 Healthy Controls (HC) were recruited. All participants were questioned and scored for the presence of FGID according to Rome III criteria and for the presence or the frequency-intensity of a number of upper and lower GI symptoms. BE behavior pattern was assessed.

Results: One-hundred obese patients met the inclusion criteria. The prevalence of FGID was similar between obese patients and HC. There was a significant association between obese patients with BE behavior and postprandial distress syndrome (P = 0.04). Moreover, a significantly higher frequency-intensity score for epigastric fullness (1.23 ± 0.45 versus 0.35 ± 0.13, P = 0.01) was found in obese patients with BE behavior compared to obese patients without.

Conclusions: Obese patients with a BE behavior pattern showed a significantly higher prevalence of postprandial distress syndrome. A greater knowledge of the GI symptoms associated with obesity along with the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying will be important in the clinical management of these patients.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
This figure shows the frequency-intensity scores (M ± SE) of the 4 cardinal symptoms: early satiation, epigastric fullness, epigastric pain, and epigastric burning in the studied obese population and HC.
Figure 2
Figure 2
This figure shows the frequency-intensity scores (M ± SE) of GI symptoms: epigastric pressure, belching, nausea, cough, noncardiac chest pain, dysphagia for liquids, dysphagia for solids, regurgitation, and heartburn in obese patients and HC.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Prevalence of abdomino-pelvic symptoms such as leakage of stool, anal blockage, flatulence, incomplete evacuation, urgency, and straining in obese patients and HC. Data are expressed as percentages (%).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Prevalence of abdomino-pelvic symptoms such as leakage of stool, anal blockage, flatulence, incomplete evacuation, urgency, and straining in obese patients with and without BE behavior pattern. Data are expressed as percentages (%).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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