Clinical characteristics of functional dyspepsia depending on chemosensitivity to capsaicin

Abstract

Background

Augmented chemosensitivity to capsaicin has been demonstrated in approximately half of functional dyspepsia (FD) patients.

Aim

We determined clinical characteristics of FD patients with and without chemical hypersensitivity at baseline and after capsaicin ingestion for 4 weeks.

Methods

N=49 outpatients with confirmed FD received an oral sensitivity test with 0.75 mg capsaicin at three occasions, before and after ingesting 0.25 mg capsaicin tid for 4 weeks. Symptomatic response to capsaicin allowed stratification to a capsaicin positive (chemosensitive) and a capsaicin negative (not chemosensitive) patient group. Symptom diaries were completed in the week before and during capsaicin ingestion.

Results

A total of 53% FD had a positive capsaicin test, Crohnbach alpha was 0.85. Basic clinical characteristics were comparable in capsaicin positive and negative FD, but median daily aggregate upper gastrointestinal symptoms scores were significantly higher in capsaicin positive (median: 9.4; 5.4/11.7) than in capsaicin negative patients (6.6; 4.1/8.1) (P<.05). After capsaicin ingestion, upper gastrointestinal symptoms scores were reduced by −3.3 (−4.9/−1.9; P<.001) in capsaicin positive and −2.6 (−3.8/−0.3; P<.05) in capsaicin negative patients. Lower abdominal symptoms were comparable in capsaicin positive and negative patients at baseline (NS). After capsaicin ingestion lower gastrointestinal symptoms scores were reduced by −1.0 (−1.8/−0.1; P<.05) in capsaicin positive but not significantly altered (−0.6; −1.7/+0.9; NS) in capsaicin negative patients. After long-term capsaicin ingestion, the capsaicin test turned negative in 53% of chemosensitive patients (P<.01).

Conclusions

Differences in upper GI symptoms distinguished capsaicin positive and negative patients. Symptom improvement after long-term capsaicin ingestion was indirect proportional to the capsaicin test result.

Median daily aggregate and individual lower gastrointestinal symptom scores (25%/75%) during the 5 weeks observation period in patients with chemical hypersensitivity (capsaicin positive) and without chemical hypersensitivity (capsaicin negative). Asterisks denote significant difference to the run-in week (week -1). *P<0.05; **P<0.01.

from #ORL-AlexandrosSfakianakis via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2s1B3Xr
via IFTTT