Reports from Radboud University advance knowledge in functional dyspepsia
March 9th, 2009
2009 MAR 9 -- "The Rome criteria have been introduced to create order in the heterogeneity of functional dyspepsia. The applicability of these symptom-based classification systems remains controversial," researchers in Netherlands report.
"To evaluate the successive Rome criteria for functional dyspepsia in a large pool of patients with endoscopically verified functional dyspepsia. Patients referred to a secondary care district hospital were asked to fill out a questionnaire on gastrointestinal symptoms 2 weeks before upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Patients were classified according to the Rome I, II, and III criteria for functional dyspepsia. Nine hundred and twelve (70%) patients had no organic disorder explaining their symptoms. According to the Rome 1, 11, and III criteria, 371 (41%) 735 (81%), and 551 (60%) of these patients had functional dyspepsia, respectively. Twenty-five percent of patients had functional dyspepsia according to all 3 Rome criteria, whereas 15% was not classifiable at all. Forty-four percent and 42% of the patients, respectively, had epigastric pain syndrome and postprandial distress syndrome according to the Rome III criteria; however, 26% of all patients met both criteria and 40% was not classified at all," wrote L.A.S. Vankerkhoven and colleagues, Radboud University.
The researchers concluded: "The symptom-based Rome classification of functional dyspepsia does not lead to an easily applicable and consistent system that is useful in clinical practice or scientific research."
Vankerkhoven and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology (Functional Dyspepsia Not All Roads Seem to Lead to Rome. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, 2009;43(2):118-122).
For additional information, contact L.A.S. Vankerkhoven, Radboud University, Medical Center, Dept. of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, POB 9101, NL-6500 HB Nijmegen, Netherlands.
Publisher contact information for the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology is: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 530 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106-3621, USA.
