Natural history of functional dyspepsia: a 10-year population-based study.
BACKGROUND
Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common disorder, but information on its natural history is limited.


OBJECTIVE
To study the natural history of FD as assessed by 2 criteria over a 10-year period.


METHODS
A population-based study conducted by mailing a questionnaire to the same age- and gender-stratified random sample of the Icelandic population aged 18-75 in 1996 and again in 2006. FD was estimated by the Functional Dyspepsia Score List and by dyspepsia subgroups categorized into 4 groups: (1) frequent upper pain, (2) meal-related, (3) nausea or vomiting, and (4) combinations of these groups.


RESULTS
FD was diagnosed in 13.9% of the subjects in the 1996 sample (11.3% male, 15.8% female) and 16.7% in 2006 (12.3% male, 20.2% female) with a significant difference between males and females in 2006. Dyspepsia subgroup criteria showed a higher prevalence than conventional FD criteria. The proportion of FD subjects in one of the dyspepsia subgroups was low. There was a significant relationship between FD and heartburn and irritable bowel syndrome. A high proportion of subjects who seek medical care have FD.


CONCLUSIONS
FD was stable over the 10-year period, but there was turnover in symptoms and increased intensity and frequency of gastrointestinal pain. Dyspepsia subgroup criteria showed a higher prevalence than FD, which was more common in young subjects and females. FD poses a heavy burden on the health care system.
Olafsdottir
Linda Bjork
LB
Department of Gastroenterology, Landspitali-University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland. linda04@ru.is
Gudjonsson
Hallgrímur
H
Jonsdottir
Heidur Hrund
HH
Thjodleifsson
Bjarni
B
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006356:Heartburn / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires