Abstract:

Objective   To explore the roles of psychosocial factors and duodenal mast cells in the pathogenesis of functional dyspepsia (FD). Methods   The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to evaluate the psychosocial status of FD patients. Mast cell abundance and  degranulation rates in the bulb (D1) and second part (D2) of the duodenum were obtained on  toluidine blue-stained sections. The relationships among the scores of anxiety (HADS-A) and depression (HADS-D), the MC counts and MC degranulation rates in D1 and D2 were studied. Results   HADS-A and HADS-D scores were significantly higher in FD patients than in controls  (P<0.05).  This was  also true for duodenal mast cell abundance (P<0.01) and  degranulation rates (P<0.001). Scores of HADS-A and HADS-D were positively correlated with the duodenal mast cell abundance and  degranulation rates. Conclusion   The abnormal psychosocial status of FD patients is correlated with the increased abundance and degranulation rates of duodenal mast cells.

Key words: Functional dyspepsia；  Anxiety;  Depression;  Duodenum；  Mast cell