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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Functional Dyspepsia (Epigastric Pain Syndrome and Postprandial Distress Syndrome Subtypes)
Sponsor: Azienda Ospedaliera Specializzata in Gastroenterologia Saverio de Bellis
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether adding Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to standard medical treatment can improve symptoms in adults with Functional Dyspepsia. The study includes adults aged 18 to 65 years diagnosed with Functional Dyspepsia, classified as Epigastric Pain Syndrome or Postprandial Distress Syndrome. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy added to standard treatment reduce gastrointestinal symptoms compared with standard treatment alone? Do patients with Postprandial Distress Syndrome and Epigastric Pain Syndrome respond differently to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy? Researchers will compare optimized standard medical treatment alone to optimized standard treatment combined with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to see if the addition of CBT leads to greater symptom improvement and better quality of life. Participants will: Be randomly assigned to receive either standard medical treatment alone or standard treatment plus Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Take part in clinical visits and complete questionnaires about gastrointestinal symptoms, psychological well-being, and quality of life Provide blood, saliva, and stool samples at several time points over a 12-month follow-up period
Official title: Multimodal Phenotyping of Functional Dyspepsia: Controlled Trial on Response to Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy in Subtypes of Epigastric Pain Syndrome and Postprandial Discomfort Syndrome
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - 65 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
90
Start Date
2026-04
Completion Date
2028-12
Last Updated
2026-05-11
Healthy Volunteers
No
Interventions
Optimized Standard Treatment (OPT)
Participants receive guideline-based standard medical treatment for Functional Dyspepsia, including proton pump inhibitors, antiacids, and prokinetics at recommended doses. This intervention does not include any psychological or behavioral therapy.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy + Optimized Standard Treatment (CBT + OPT)
Participants receive the same optimized standard medical treatment as the OPT arm, plus a manualized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy program. CBT consists of 10 individual sessions (60 minutes each) over 12 weeks, with a 6-month booster session. Sessions cover psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, stress management, coping strategies, interoceptive/behavioral exposure, relaxation, and nutritional integration.