Beneficial effects of antidepressant mirtazapine in functional dyspepsia patients with weight loss

Table 1 General characteristics of study patients

Variable	MG (n = 20)	PG (n = 20)	CG (n = 20)	P value
Gender (M/F)	8/12	11/9	7/13	0.725
Age (yr)	43.45 ± 11.50	37.75 ± 10.78	39.95 ± 6.84	0.914
Height (cm)	163.81 ± 12.36	162.36 ± 10.06	160.72 ± 10.63	0.834
Weight (kg)	49.77 ± 6.79	48.93 ± 5.89	48.22 ± 5.57	0.973
BMI (kg/m2)	18.73 ± 5.62	18.65 ± 4.73	18.84 ± 6.38	1.005
Body loss when diagnosed	3.42 ± 0.54	3.72 ± 0.64	3.69 ± 0.71	0.872

MG: Mirtazapine group; PG: Paroxetine group; CG: Conventional group.

Table 2 Change of body weight and its composition in mirtazapine group

Variable	Baseline	2 wk	4 wk	6 wk	8 wk
Body weight (kg)	49.77 ± 6.79	51.35 ± 6.80	52.36 ± 6.60a	53.07 ± 6.46a	53.35 ± 6.52a
BMI (kg/m2)	18.73 ± 5.62	18.97 ± 5.43	19.70 ± 4.52a	19.87 ± 4.62a	20.07 ± 5.23a
Body fat (kg)	8.36 ± 2.53	9.28 ± 2.33	11.05 ± 1.92a	11.09 ± 1.87a	11.13 ± 2.86a
Body fat ratio (%)	0.17 ± 0.02	0.18 ± 0.04	0.20 ± 0.07a	0.20 ± 0.09a	0.21 ± 0.08a
Visceral fat area (cm2)	35.27 ± 8.12	36.12 ± 8.05	41.68 ± 9.23a	42.02 ± 9.14a	42.83 ± 10.64a
Muscle volume (kg)	38.25 ± 7.53	38.26 ± 7.49	38.46 ± 6.84	38.52 ± 6.64	38.62 ± 6.77

^aP < 0.05 vs baseline. BMI: Body mass index.

Table 3 Changes of expression level of serum hormones

Group		Ghrelin (ng/mL)	Leptin (ng/mL)	NPY (pg/mL)	5-HT (ng/mL)	CCK (pg/mL)	MTL (pg/mL)	GAS (pg/mL)
MG	Baseline	4.62 ± 1.53	9.87 ± 4.65	107.52 ± 26.21	237.83 ± 56.94	392.36 ± 27.21	32.53 ± 6.28	56.37 ± 21.15
	4 wk	6.02 ± 3.43ace	7.25 ± 3.47ace	114.56 ± 25.10a	208.47 ± 52.48a	221.69 ± 23.77a	49.46 ± 6.10ace	48.37 ± 11.93ace
	8 wk	8.97 ± 3.64ace	4.03 ± 2.77ace	149.27 ± 39.53ace	176.92 ± 53.38ace	183.85 ± 27.65ace	66.28 ± 3.97ace	41.61 ± 10.52ace
PG	Baseline	4.68 ± 2.12	9.07 ± 4.65	105.12 ± 29.52	232.83 ± 50.94	390.82 ± 27.54	31.98 ± 9.34	54.98 ± 15.24
	4 wk	5.12 ± 2.23	8.75 ± 3.05	112.31 ± 15.10a	215.32 ± 24.91a	291.57 ± 31.76a	40.37 ± 8.23a	52.37 ± 12.97
	8 wk	6.01 ± 3.27a	8.25 ± 2.13	114.27 ± 28.53a	210.17 ± 49.17a	283.85 ± 47.15a	53.28 ± 6.84a	48.61 ± 11.17a
CG	Baseline	4.89 ± 2.47	8.87 ± 2.65	104.93 ± 17.95	235.81 ± 61.82	391.75 ± 24.96	36.26 ± 6.22	54.23 ± 26.83
	4 wk	5.48 ± 2.15	8.32 ± 3.57	108.92 ± 29.64	211.26 ± 46.28	224.67 ± 23.45	43.92 ± 7.24	49.21 ± 12.15
	8 wk	6.93 ± 2.35	8.02 ± 1.45	121.43 ± 13.92	208.95 ± 38.29	303.12 ± 26.76	55.53 ± 5.98	43.34 ± 13.72

^aP < 0.05 vs baseline in the same group;

^cP < 0.05, MG vs PG;

^eP < 0.05, MG vs CG. MG: Mirtazapine group; PG: Paroxetine group; CG: Conventional group; NPY: Neuropeptide Y; 5-HT: 5-hydroxytryptamine; CCK: Cholecystokinin; MTL: Motilin; GAS: Gastrin.