Patients with headache and functional dyspepsia present meal–induced hypersensitivity of the stomach

Headache is a frequent feature of functional gastrointestinal disorders but there is no data on the responsible pathophysiological mechanism. The aim of this study was to verify whether alteration of post–prandial gastric tone or sensitivity might explain this association. Fourteen patients affected by functional dyspepsia (7 migraine without aura) and 7 healthy volunteers (HV) underwent gastric tone measurement in fasting condition and after the administration of a liquid meal by barostat. Gastric volume (GV) and accommodation were calculated as difference between mean post–prandial and mean fasting volume. Mean postprandial GV increase and fasting perception and discomfort threshold (DTh) were similar among the 3 groups. DTh after meal was lower in dyspeptic headache patients than in HV and dyspeptic without headache patients. Patients with migraine and functional dyspepsia may be characterised by meal-induced hypersensitivity of the stomach.