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

Abstract

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.