Duodenal VIP and IL-1 β Upregulation Associated with Sleep Disturbance in Functional Dyspepsia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

O bjective: To measure the expression levels of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and interleukin-1 β (IL-1 β ) in the duodenal bulb mucosa of patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) and to analyze their relationship with sleep disturbance. Methods: Sixty patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) who attended Wuhan Puren Hospital between May 2024 and May 2025 were enrolled as the FD group; thirty healthy individuals undergoing routine physical examinations during the same period served as the control group. Both the FD and control subjects underwent painless gastroscopy. Immunohistochemistry was employed to quantify the expression of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and interleukin-1 β (IL-1 β ) in the mucosa of the duodenal bulb. Sleep quality was assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results: Expression levels of VIP and IL-1 β in the duodenal bulb mucosa were significantly higher in the FD group than in the control group (p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed among FD subtypes (p > 0.05). The PSQI score was markedly higher in the FD group than in controls (p < 0.01). FD patients with comorbid sleep disturbance exhibited higher duodenal VIP and IL-1 β expression than FD patients without sleep disturbance (p < 0.01). Moreover, VIP and IL-1 β expression levels were positively correlated with PSQI scores in the FD cohort (p < 0.01). Conclusion: VIP and IL-1 β are aberrantly up-regulated in the duodenal bulb mucosa of FD patients, who also display impaired sleep quality. The deterioration of sleep in FD appears to be closely associated with elevated mucosal VIP and IL-1 β expression within the duodenal bulb.