Hedonic Responses to Meal Ingestion in Patients With Functional Dyspepsia and Postprandial Symptoms.

INTRODUCTION

It is not clear whether patients with postprandial symptoms enjoy the meal.

METHODS

Prospective trial in patients with postprandial distress syndrome and healthy controls, comparing their responses with stepwise ingestion of a comfort meal.

RESULTS

Healthy individuals (N = 18) enjoyed the meal and experienced digestive well-being. Despite their symptoms, some patients enjoyed the meal as much as healthy individuals (n = 9), while others did not (n = 15), and both groups experienced the same degree of early satiety, fullness, and discomfort.

DISCUSSION: The hedonic response to meal ingestion is preserved in a proportion of patients with postprandial distress syndrome.