Background and Aims. Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGDs) are multifactorial disorders of the gut-brain interaction. This\nstudy investigated the prevalence of Axis I and spectrum disorders in patients with FGD and established the link between FGDs and\npsychopathological dimensions. Methods. A total of 135 consecutive patients with FGD were enrolled. The symptomsââ?¬â?¢ severity was\nevaluated using questionnaires, while the psychiatric evaluation by clinical interviews established the presence/absence of mental\n(Diagnostic and Statistical Manualââ?¬â?4th edition, Axis I Diagnosis) or spectrum disorders. Results. Of the 135 patients, 42\n(32.3%) had functional dyspepsia, 52 (40.0%) had irritable bowel syndrome, 21 (16.2%) had functional bloating, and 20 (15.4%)\nhad functional constipation. At least one psychiatric disorder was present in 46.9% of the patients, while a suprathreshold panic\nspectrum was present in 26.2%. Functional constipation was associated with depressive disorders (p < 0 05), while functional\ndyspepsia was related to the current major depressive episode (p < 0 05). Obsessive-compulsive spectrum was correlated with\nthe presence of functional constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (p < 0 05). Conclusion. The high prevalence of\nsubthreshold psychiatric symptomatology in patients with FGD, which is likely to influence the expression of gastrointestinal\nsymptoms, suggested the usefulness of psychological evaluation in patients with FGDs.
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