The Effect of Psychotherapy in Improving Physical and Psychiatric Symptoms in Patients with Functional Dyspepsia

OBJECTIVE Functional Dyspepsia (FD) is a common symptom of upper gastrointestinal discomfort. Few data are available on the role of psychotherapy in the treatment of dyspeptic syndromes. This study assesses whether brief core conflictual relationship theme (CCRT) psychoanalytic psychotherapy improves gastrointestinal and psychiatric symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia. METHODS A randomized, controlled trial was planned in two educational hospitals in city of Babol. Forty-nine patients with FD were randomly assigned to receive standard medication treatment with CCRT psychotherapy (24 participants) or standard medication treatment alone (25 participants). The participants completed the Patient Assessment of Upper Gastrointestinal Symptom Severity Index (PAGI-SYM) and Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) questionnaires before the trial, after the treatment and at 1 and 12-month follow-ups. The mixed-effects (regression) model was used to analyze the data. RESULTS The results showed that CCRT psychotherapy improved all of the FD symptoms (heartburn/regurgitation, nausea/vomiting, fullness, bloating, upper abdominal pain, and lower abdominal pain) and many of the psychiatric symptoms (depression, anxiety, somatization, interpersonal sensitivity and paranoid ideation) after the treatment and at 1-month and 12-month follow-ups. CONCLUSION Brief CCRT psychoanalytic psychotherapy can serve as an effective intervention for promoting gastrointestinal and psychiatric symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia.