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Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) symptoms are among the common complaints among patients visiting health facilities. Because of the scarcity of gastrointestinal endoscopy services and gastroenterologists, the pattern of common upper gastrointestinal diseases has not been well studied in the study setting. This study aimed to determine the pattern of upper gastrointestinal diseases among patients undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted at three hospitals in Asella town, southeast Ethiopia. A total of 279 study subjects were included in the study. Three-fourths (74%) of the study participants had abnormal endoscopic findings. The clinical indications for endoscopic examination were dyspepsia (32.6%), peptic ulcer disease (PUD) (27.2%), suspicion of gastric cancer (13.3%), and suspicion of esophageal cancer (11.5%). The abnormal endoscopic findings were esophageal cancer (10.4%), gastric cancer (10%), duodenal ulcer (DU) (9.3%), and gastritis (8.6%). The abnormal biopsy findings were esophageal cancer (7.5%), gastric adenocarcinoma (6.4%), and gastritis (3.9%). Dyspepsia, peptic ulcer disease, and suspicion of UGI malignancies were the most common clinical indications for endoscopic examination, while esophageal cancer and gastric cancer were the most common abnormal endoscopic findings. The most common abnormal biopsy results were esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and gastric adenocarcinoma. It is advised to have a high index of suspicion for esophageal cancer and gastric cancer for patients who present with alarming upper gastrointestinal symptoms in the study setting., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Dyspepsia is a very prevalent upper gastrointestinal tract symptoms complex. Some of these symptoms might arise from serious underlying diseases, so the promotion of evidence-based guidelines could potentially better align evaluation and treatment., Aim: To determine the value of alarm features as a predictive factor for significant endoscopic findings (SEFs) among hospitalized patients presenting with dyspepsia., Methods: We conducted a retrospective case-control study including information about 6208 endoscopic procedures performed for hospitalized patients. Patients were divided into two groups, with and without SEFs, and compared to elucidate the ability of the different alarm features to predict SEFs., Results: During the study, 605 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. When the demographics and clinical characteristics of the two groups were compared, tachycardia ( P < 0.05), normocytic anemia, ( P < 0.05), leukocytosis ( P < 0.05), and hypoalbuminemia ( P < 0.05) documented on admission prior to endoscopy were strong predictors of SEFs. Among the alarm features, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, persistent vomiting, odynophagia [odds ratio (OR) = 3.81, P < 0.05; OR = 1.75, P = 0.03; and OR = 7.81, P = 0.07, respectively] were associated with SEFs. Unexplained weight loss was strongly associated with malignancy as an endoscopic finding (OR = 2.05; P < 0.05). In addition, long-term use of anti-aggregate medications other than aspirin ( P < 0.05) was correlated to SEFs., Conclusion: Novel predictors of SEFs were elucidated in this study. These parameters could be used as an adjunctive in decision making regarding performing upper endoscopy in hospitalized patients with dyspepsia., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Egypt faces a significant public health burden due to chronic liver diseases (CLD) and peptic ulcer disease. CLD, primarily caused by Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, affects over 2.9% of the population nationwide, with regional variations. Steatotic liver disease is rapidly emerging as a significant contributor to CLD, especially in urban areas. Acid-related disorders are another widespread condition that can significantly impact the quality of life. These factors and others significantly influence the indications and findings of gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures performed in Egypt., Aim: We aimed to evaluate the clinico-demographic data, indications, and endoscopic findings in Egyptian patients undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures in various regions of Egypt., Methods: This study employed a retrospective multicenter cross-sectional design. Data was collected from patients referred for gastrointestinal endoscopy across 15 tertiary gastrointestinal endoscopy units in various governorates throughout Egypt., Results: 5910 patients aged 38-63 were enrolled in the study; 75% underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), while 25% underwent a colonoscopy. In all studied patients, the most frequent indications for EGD were dyspepsia (19.5%), followed by hematemesis (19.06%), and melena (17.07%). The final EGD diagnoses for the recruited patients were portal hypertension-related sequelae (60.3%), followed by acid-related diseases (55%), while 10.44% of patients had a normally apparent endoscopy. Male gender, old age, and the presence of chronic liver diseases were more common in patients from upper than lower Egypt governorates. Hematochezia (38.11%) was the most reported indication for colonoscopy, followed by anemia of unknown origin (25.11%). IBD and hemorrhoids (22.34% and 21.86%, respectively) were the most prevalent diagnoses among studied patients, while normal colonoscopy findings were encountered in 18.21% of them., Conclusion: This is the largest study describing the situation of endoscopic procedures in Egypt. our study highlights the significant impact of regional variations in disease burden on the utilization and outcomes of GI endoscopy in Egypt. The high prevalence of chronic liver disease is reflected in the EGD findings, while the colonoscopy results suggest a potential need for increased awareness of colorectal diseases., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Functional dyspepsia is defined as persistent symptoms of postprandial bloating, early satiety, or pain in the center of the upper abdomen, without findings on upper endoscopy such as peptic ulcer disease to explain these symptoms. It is common, affecting up to 30% of the global population, but it often goes undiagnosed for years. There are 2 subtypes: epigastric pain syndrome (burning and pain) and postprandial distress syndrome (bloating and satiety). The authors discuss how to diagnose and treat both subtypes., (Copyright © 2024 The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. All Rights Reserved.)

Introduction and Aims: Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune enteropathy that develops in genetically susceptible individuals. The typical gastrointestinal manifestation is diarrhea but symptoms of dyspepsia, such as epigastric pain, nausea, or satiety, can sometimes appear. Previous studies have reported that the prevalence of CD in patients with dyspepsia can be as high as 7%. The aim of the present study was to evaluate CD seroprevalence in subjects with dyspeptic symptoms and a control group in a Mexican population., Material and Methods: A case-control study was conducted on blood donors that answered the PAGI-SYM questionnaire for dyspepsia and in whom IgA antibodies to tissue transglutaminase 2 (IgA anti-tTG2) and IgG antibodies to deamidated gliadin peptide (IgG anti-DGP) were determined. CD seroprevalence in subjects with dyspeptic symptoms and in asymptomatic subjects was compared., Results: A total of 427 subjects (76.3% men), with a mean patient age of 34 years (range of 18-65 years) were included. Of those participants, 87 (20.3%) had symptoms of dyspepsia (group A) and 340 (79.6%) were asymptomatic (group B). Antibodies were positive in one (1.15%) of the group A subjects (1/87, 95% CI 0.2-6 %), whereas they were positive in 4 (1.18%) of the group B subjects (4/340, 95% CI 0.4-2.9%, p = 0.59)., Conclusions: CD seroprevalence in the study population with dyspeptic symptoms (1%) was not different from that of the control population. Thus, CD screening in Mexican patients with dyspepsia is not justified., (Copyright © 2023 Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.)

Functional dyspepsia is a common functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that is responsible for many primary care visits. No organic changes have been found to explain its symptoms. We hypothesize that modern lifestyles and environmental factors, especially psychological stress, play a crucial role in the high prevalence of functional dyspepsia and metabolic syndrome. While gastrointestinal tract diseases are rarely linked to metabolic disorders, chronic stress, obesity-related metabolic syndrome, chronic inflammation, intestinal dysbiosis, and functional dyspepsia have significant pathophysiological associations. Functional dyspepsia, often associated with anxiety and chronic psychological stress, can activate the neuroendocrine stress axis and immune system, leading to unhealthy habits that contribute to obesity. Additionally, intestinal dysbiosis, which is commonly present in functional dyspepsia, can exacerbate systemic inflammation and obesity, further promoting metabolic syndrome-related disorders. It is worth noting that the reverse is also true: obesity-related metabolic syndrome can worsen functional dyspepsia and its associated symptoms by triggering systemic inflammation and intestinal dysbiosis, as well as negative emotions (depression) through the brain-gut axis. To understand the pathophysiology and deliver an effective treatment strategy for these two difficult-to-cure disorders, which are challenging for both caregivers and patients, a psychosocial paradigm is essential.

Purpose: To probe the differences of dosimetry and acute radiation enteritis between prone and supine position in gynecological cancer patients treated with intensity-modulate radiotherapy (IMRT)., Methods: Gynecologic tumor patients who received IMRT from January 2020 to July 2021 were analyzed. 60 patients were enrolled and divided into the supine or prone position group according to different radiotherapy positions, including 34 patients in prone position and 26 patients in supine position. The dose-volume histogram of organs at risk (OARs) and the incidence of acute radiation enteritis were compared between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to show the clinical characteristics and dose volume metrics to the association of acute radiation enteritis., Results: The percentage of volume receiving 5 Gy, 10 Gy, 15 Gy, 20 Gy, 30 Gy, 40 Gy, and 45 Gy doses for the small intestine were 79.0%, 67.4%, 59.6%, 44.3%, 17.0%, 8.9%, and 6.0%, respectively in the prone group, which were lower than those in the supine group (P < 0.05). The mean radiation dose (D mean ) of the small intestine exposure in prone group was decreased (P < 0.001). Compared with the supine group, the prone group who suffered from acute radiation enteritis were much less. The probability of indigestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain in the prone position were 35.29%, 29.41%, 17.65%, 38.24%, and 5.88%, respectively. The differences in indigestion, nausea, and diarrhea between the two groups were statistically significant (P = 0.012, P = 0.029, and P = 0.041). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was shown that prone position was found to be protective against indigestion (P = 0.002), nausea (P = 0.013), vomiting (P = 0.035), and abdominal pain (P = 0.021)., Conclusion: Prone position in IMRT for gynecological cancers could significantly reduce radiation dose to the small bowel and colon, which would decrease the occurrence and severity of acute intestinal side effects possibly., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, LLC on behalf of The American Association of Physicists in Medicine.)

Introduction: An association between functional dyspepsia (FD) and wheat-containing foods has been reported in observational studies; however, an adaptive response has not been demonstrated. We examined whether antigens present in wheat could provoke a response from FD duodenal lymphocytes., Methods: Lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMCs) were isolated from duodenal biopsies from 50 patients with FD and 23 controls. LPMCs were exposed to gluten (0.2 mg/mL) or gliadin (0.2 mg/mL) for 24 hours. Flow cytometry was performed to phenotype lymphocytes. Quantitative PCR was used to measure the expression of gliadin-associated T-cell receptor alpha variant ( TRAV ) 26-2., Results: In response to gliadin (but not gluten) stimulation, the effector Th2-like population was increased in FD LPMCs compared with that in controls and unstimulated FD LPMCs. Duodenal gene expression of TRAV26- 2 was decreased in patients with FD compared with that in controls. We identified a positive association between gene expression of this T-cell receptor variant and LPMC effector Th17-like cell populations in patients with FD, but not controls after exposure to gluten, but not gliadin., Discussion: Our findings suggest that gliadin exposure provokes a duodenal effector Th2-like response in patients with FD, supporting the notion that food antigens drive responses in some patients. Furthermore, these findings suggest that altered lymphocyte responses to wheat proteins play a role in FD pathogenesis., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American College of Gastroenterology.)

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among quarantined college students at school in Shanghai 2022 lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigate the association of gastrointestinal discomfort related-factors and skipping breakfast with anxiety and depressive symptoms., Methods: 384 quarantined college students in Shanghai China were recruited in this cross-sectional study from April 5th to May 29th, 2022. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) were used to assess anxiety and depressive symptoms, respectively., Results: The prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms were 56.8% and 62.8%, respectively. Longer quarantine duration, higher education level, skipping breakfast, stomachache or abdominal pain, and nausea or dyspepsia were significantly associated with anxiety symptoms. Moreover, longer quarantine duration, being woman, skipping breakfast, stomachache or abdominal pain, and nausea or dyspepsia were markedly related to depressive symptoms. Notably, regularly physical exercising and taking positive attitude towards COVID-19 were negatively correlated with anxiety and depressive symptoms., Conclusions: More attention should be paid to anxiety and depressive symptoms of quarantined college students and universities should provide timely psychological monitoring and intervention services to mitigate the impact of negative emotions on students. Effectively relieving gastrointestinal symptoms, insisting on eat breakfast, regularly exercising, and taking a positive attitude towards to COVID-19 might contribute to preventing the anxiety and depressive symptoms for those college students experiencing a long-term quarantine., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (FGIDs) and their risk factors vary from region to region. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of abdominal pain of FGIDs in different dietary diversity score (DDS) and its determinant factors among adults in Jimma City, Southwest Ethiopia., Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July 17 to October 27, 2019. The study included systematically selected healthy adults aged ≥ 18years. Data were collected on gastrointestinal symptoms (Rome III), and DDS (24-dietary recall)., Results: Of 865 healthy adults, the prevalence of abdominal pain symptoms co-occurrence was 168(19.4%), dyspepsia, 152(17.6%) and IBS, 133(15.4). Similarly, the co-occurrence was distributed as 81(9.4%) in middle, 64(7.4%) in high and 23(2.6%) in low DDS groups. Although this distribution was different in the DDS groups, it is not significantly associated. With potential confounders adjusted, the behavioral factors associated with the co-occurrence with an AOR (95% CI) were khat chewing: 7.37 (1.76 - 30.87), drinking alcohol: 3.24 (1.15 - 9.18), sedentary life: 12.28 (3.19 - 48.40) and less physical activity: 4.44 (1.43-13.75). Moreover, elevated TAG: 5.44 (2.78 - 8.10), elevated LDL: 4.26 (1.61-11.29), central obesity: 2.78 (1.08 -7), low HDL 5.89 (2.22-15.60), positive H.pylori stool test: 2.7 (1.86 -7.72), being diabetic: 2.7 (1.79 -7.79) and hypertensive: 2.79 (1.08 - 7.14) were associated with the co-occurrence., Conclusion: Abdominal pain and FGIDs had significant distribution among adults in Jimma City. Therefore, early screening and managing FGIDs in the community is recommendable., (© 2023 Zawdie, et al.)

Background: Acute gastrointestinal infections can lead to post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome (PI-IBS). Moreover, coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is related to long-term gastrointestinal sequelae. In this study, the frequency, disease spectrum, and risk factors for post-infection functional gastrointestinal disease (PI-FGID) in COVID-19 patients and healthy controls were prospectively examined., Methods: Validated Rome III and Rome IV questionnaires and limited objective assessment were used to assess the incidence of PI-FGID in 190 COVID-19 patients, and 160 healthy controls prospectively followed for 1, 3, and 6 months., Results: Six(3.2%), 1(0.5%), 3(1.6%), 5(2.6%), 6(3.2%)COVID-19 patients had diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation, dyspepsia and their overlap at 1 month, respectively, while 4(2.1%), 1(0.5%), 4(2.1%), 4(2.1%), and 6(3.2%)COVID-19 patients had diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation, dyspepsia and their overlap at three months, respectively. Furthermore, 2(1.3%), 4(2.5%), and 3(1.9%)healthy controls developed constipation, dyspepsia, and their overlap at one month, respectively (P = 0.193), while 2(1.3%), 4(2.5%), and 2(1.3%)healthy controls developed constipation, dyspepsia and their overlap at three months, respectively (P = 0.286). FGIDs incidence was higher among COVID-19 patients(8.9%) than in healthy controls(3.1%) at 6-month follow-up (P = 0.025). Moreover, 7 (3.7%), 5 (2.6%), 3 (1.6%), and 2 (1.1%) COVID-19 patients developed IBS, functional dyspepsia(FD), functional diarrhea(FDr), functional constipation(FC)at six months, respectively, while only 2 (1.3%) and 3 (1.9%) healthy controls developed IBS and FD at six months, respectively. Notably, gastrointestinal(GI)symptoms at onset were the independent risk factors for post-COVID-19 FGIDs at six months., Conclusions: COVID-19 increases new-onset PI-FGID at six months compared with healthy controls. GI symptom at the onset of COVID-19 is an independent risk factor for post-COVID-19 FGIDs., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of functional dyspepsia (FD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) among college students in China., Methods: An online questionnaire survey of college students aged 17-35 from across China was conducted. The online questionnaire survey was supplemented by an offline survey. A total of 2025 valid samples were included for statistical analysis. χ 2 test and logistic regression were performed for statistical analysis., Results: The prevalence of FD among college students who met the Rome Ⅳ diagnostic criteria was 5.5% (112/2025), with most of them, or 66.1% (74/112), suffering from postprandial discomfort syndrome (PDS). Smoking (odds ratio [ OR ]=2.334, 95% confidence interval [ CI ]: 1.187-4.589, P =0.014), depression ( OR =2.447, 95% CI : 1.421-4.214, P =0.001), and insomnia ( OR =1.947, 95% CI : 1.291-2.937, P =0.001) were positively correlated with the prevalence of FD. The prevalence of IBS was 1.9% (38/2025), with IBS-diarrhea dominant (IBS-D) being the most important subtype that accounted for 44.7%. Anxiety ( OR =3.63, 95% CI : 1.34-9.88, P =0.012) and insomnia ( OR =2.35, 95% CI : 1.18-4.68, P =0.015) were positively correlated with the prevalence of IBS., Conclusion: Based on Rome Ⅳ criteria, IBS and FD are not uncommon among Chinese university students. Psychological disorders and some related lifestyle factors may be related to the development of the disease. In the future, more series of studies based on different diagnostic criteria, different regions, and multiple factors should be conducted in China., (Copyright© by Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Sciences).)

Functional dyspepsia is a gastrointestinal disorder characterized by postprandial fullness, early satiation, epigastric pain, and epigastric burning. The pathophysiology of the disease is not fully elucidated and there is no permanent cure, although some therapies (drugs or herbal remedies) try to reduce the symptoms. Diet plays a critical role in either the reduction or the exacerbation of functional dyspepsia symptoms; therefore dietary management is considered to be of high importance. Several foods have been suggested to be associated with worsening functional dyspepsia, such as fatty and spicy foods, soft drinks, and others, and other foods are thought to alleviate symptoms, such as apples, rice, bread, olive oil, yogurt, and others. Although an association between functional dyspepsia and irregular eating habits (abnormal meal frequency, skipping meals, late-night snacking, dining out, etc.) has been established, not many dietary patterns have been reported as potential factors that influence the severity of functional dyspepsia. A higher adherence to Western diets and a lower adherence to FODMAPs diets and healthy patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, can contribute to the worsening of symptoms. More research is needed on the role of specific foods, dietary patterns, or specific eating habits in the management of functional dyspepsia.

Background: Newer American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and Canadian Association of Gastroenterology (CAG) guidelines do not suggest endoscopy to investigate alarm features for dyspepsia patients under the age of 60 to exclude upper gastrointestinal (GI) neoplasia. The validity of this recommendation has not been evaluated in our population. So, this study was conducted to assess the utility of upper GI endoscopy to investigate alarm features in dyspepsia patients less than 60 years of age to exclude upper GI neoplasia., Methods: This prospective observational study evaluated consecutive patients of dyspepsia between 18 and 60 years of age, with at least one or more of the alarm symptoms (unintentional weight loss; loss of appetite; GI bleeding; anemia; recurrent or persistent vomiting; dysphagia with predominant epigastric pain; and family history of upper GI cancer) with upper GI endoscopy to exclude any organic lesion and malignancy., Results: Of total 294 patients evaluated with endoscopy, 34.7% (n=102) had normal endoscopy (functional dyspepsia [FD]) while 65.3% (n=192) had abnormal endoscopic findings (organic dyspepsia [OD]). Of 192 patients with OD, 146 patients (49.6% of the total study population) had benign abnormality (benign OD) while 46 patients (15.6% of the total study population) had malignancy of the upper GI tract (malignant OD)., Conclusion: The investigation of alarm features in dyspepsia patients less than 60 years of age with upper GI endoscopy leads to detection of organic lesion (65.3%) including malignancy (15.6%) in a significant percentage of patients., (© 2022. Indian Society of Gastroenterology.)

Background: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a group of diseases that cannot be explained after routine clinical examination, and is characterized by postprandial fullness, early satiety, and upper abdominal pain or burning. According to the statistics, FD continues to become one of the high-risk sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), affecting patients' quality of life, increasing psychological burden and increasing economic costs. However, its optimal treatment is still an urgent problem. A large number of studies have shown that acupuncture and moxibustion is effective and safe in the treatment of FD caused by sequelae of COVID-19, which is of research value. Therefore, based on the current literatures, the effectiveness and safety of different acupuncture and moxibustion methods were systematically evaluated to provide possible alternative therapy on FD., Methods: Studies search for eligible randomized controlled trials that use different acupuncture and moxibustion methods as the sole treatment on FD and their data extraction will be done by 2 researchers. In case of disagreement, a third researcher will be introduced for arbitration. Mean difference or relative risk with fixed or random effect model in terms of 95% confidence interval will be adopted for the data synthesis. To evaluate the risk of bias, the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool will be utilized. The sensitivity or subgroup analysis will also be conducted when meeting high heterogeneity (I2 > 50%)., Results: This meta-analysis will provide an authentic synthesis of different acupuncture and moxibustion methods on FD caused by sequelae of COVID-19., Conclusion: This meta-analysis will evaluate the effect of acupuncture and moxibustion on FD caused by sequelae of COVID-19, providing evidence as to the treatment in these patients., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Several gastrointestinal phenotypes and impairment of duodenal mucosal barrier have been reported in clinical studies in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD). Due to the preferential colonization of the mucosa, intestinal microbes and their metabolites are commonly involved in host metabolism and immune responses. However, there are no studies on the intertwined correlation among multi-level data. For more comprehensive illustrating, a multi-omics analysis focusing on the duodenum was performed in the FD rat model. We found that differential microbiomes in the duodenum were significantly correlated with the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan. The innate immune response-related genes, which were upregulated in the duodenum, were associated with the TLR2/TLR4-NFκB signaling pathway. More importantly, arachidonyl ethanolamide (anandamide, AEA) and endocannabinoid analogues showed linear relationships with the FD phenotypes. Taken together, multi-level data from microbiome, transcriptome and metabolome reveal that AEA may regulate duodenal low-grade inflammation in FD. These results suggest an important cue of gut microbiome-endocannabinoid system axis in the pathogenesis of FD., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Ji, You, Peng, Zhong, Kuang, Li, Du, Chen, Sun, Dai, Huang, Wu and Liu.)

Background: The possible association between shift work with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia (FD) remains controversial. The purpose of the study is to conduct a meta-analysis to explore the potential association between shift work with IBS/FD., Methods: We searched relevant observational studies on Medline (PubMed) and Embase until June 30, 2021. Two different investigators extracted data and assessed the quality of each study independently. The meta-analysis was used to evaluate the pooled odds risk (OR) between shift work and IBS/FD., Results: Eight studies were included ultimately. Shift workers were more likely to suffer from IBS. The OR of shift work was 1.81 (95% confidence interval 1.42; 2.32) with low heterogeneity (P < .05, I2 = 0%) for IBS. However, no evidence of the association was observed between shift work and the risk of FD. The OR of shift work was 0.87 (95% confidence interval 0.62; 1.23) (P > .05) for FD., Conclusions: There was a positive association between shift work and IBS. The prevalence of IBS was 81% higher among shift workers than among non-shift workers. Shift work was probably a risk factor for IBS. The low heterogeneity supports the reliability of the results. However, there was no significant association between shift work and FD. The strength of the evidence was limited and further prospective cohort studies were needed., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

(1) Background: Limited evidence from laboratory-based studies suggests that specific dietary macronutrients, particularly fat, can induce dyspeptic symptoms. Through a population-based study, we investigated the relationship between dietary macronutrients and dyspeptic symptoms and sought to determine macronutrient intake thresholds to predict or prevent dyspepsia and reduce symptoms in patients with dyspepsia. (2) Methods: A total of 4763 Iranian people were enrolled in this population-based, cross-sectional study. Uninvestigated dyspepsia (UD) and its symptoms, including postprandial fullness, early satiation, and epigastric pain, were evaluated using a modified Persian version of the Rome III criteria. The dietary intakes of participants were evaluated using a validated food−frequency questionnaire. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to calculate threshold intakes of dietary macronutrients to prevent UD in the general population. The analysis was then repeated in those with UD to calculate intake thresholds for reducing UD symptoms. (3) Results: Early satiation occurred in 6.3% (n = 302), postprandial fullness in 8.0% (n = 384) and epigastric pain in 7.8% (n = 371) of participants. The prevalence of UD was 15.2%. Compared with individuals without UD, those with UD had a lower intake of carbohydrates (48.2% vs. 49.1%) and a higher intake of fats (38.3% vs. 37.4%), while protein and energy intakes did not differ. Higher dietary fat and protein intakes were associated with a higher prevalence of postprandial fullness and epigastric pain, respectively. Macronutrient intakes to predict UD in the general population were <49% of energy from carbohydrates, >14.7% from protein, and >37.7% from fats. Carbohydrate, protein, and fat intakes to prevent symptoms among those with UD were calculated to be >48.2%, <14.6%, and <38.6%, respectively. (4) Conclusion: Higher carbohydrate intake and lower fat or protein intakes were associated with a lower likelihood of UD. Prospective studies carefully manipulating dietary macronutrient composition are warranted to investigate the value of dietary changes to improve symptoms in people with UD.

Background/aims: To investigate the presence of seronegative celiac disease in patients with isolated refractory dyspepsia and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)-related complaints., Methods: This was a single-center, prospective study performed at a tertiary care referral hospital. Among 968 consecutive patients, 129 seronegative patients with tissue damage consistent with Marsh IIIa classification or above were included. The patients were divided into two groups: dyspepsia (n=78) and GERD (n=51). Biopsies were taken from the duodenum regardless of endoscopic appearance, and patients with Marsh IIIa or above damage were advised to consume a gluten-free diet. The Glasgow Dyspepsia Severity (GDS) score, Reflux Symptom Index (RSI), and Biagi score were calculated at baseline and every 3 months. Control endoscopy was performed every 6 months during follow-up., Results: The median follow-up time was 19.9 months (range, 6 to 24 months) in the dyspepsia group and 19.2 months (range, 6 to 24 months) in the GERD group. All the patients were positive for the HLA-DQ2 and DQ8 haplotypes. The differences between the mean GDS scores (14.3±2.1 vs 1.1±0.2, respectively, p<0.05), RSI scores (6.3±0.8 vs 0.7±0.1, respectively, p<0.05), and Biagi scores (3.1±0.4 vs 0.7±0.3 in the dyspepsia group and 2.5±0.4 vs 0.5±0.2 in GERD group) before and after implementation of the gluten-free diet were statistically significant. The decreases in the scores were consistent with improvements in the histological findings. There was no significant correlation between endoscopic appearance and histological examination results (p=0.487)., Conclusions: Seronegative celiac disease may be considered in this group of patients. Even if a patient is seronegative and has normal endoscopic findings, duodenal biopsy should be considered.

Functional dyspepsia is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders with chronic bothersome epigastric pain or postprandial fullness without a definite organic cause. Despite its high clinical burden, the treatment modalities for modulating impaired motor dysfunction and visceral hypersensitivity have been unsatisfactory. Recently, studies demonstrating low-grade inflammation and dysbiosis of the duodenal mucosa as potential triggers of the disease have attracted attention. Observations, such as an increase in the proportion of oral commensal bacteria in the duodenal mucosa, such as Streptococcus species, highlight the importance of bacterial ecology in developing symptoms of functional dyspepsia. In the near future, anti-inflammatory drugs and probiotics that modulate the host-microbiome interaction are expected to emerge to treat functional dyspepsia.

Background: Transcutaneous electrogastrography is a novel modality to assess the human stomach's gastric myoelectrical activity. The purpose of this study was to compare functional dyspepsia, joint hypermobility, and diabetic gastroparesis patients with healthy control subjects in terms of gastric motility abnormalities through electrogastrography evaluations, and to then evaluate the correlation among variations in their blood parameters., Methods: This study analyzed 120 subjects with functional dyspepsia (n = 30), joint hypermobility (n = 30), diabetic gastroparesis (n = 30), and control subjects (n = 30). The electrogastrography parameters included the dominant frequency, dominant power, power ratio, and instability coefficient, which were analyzed preprandially and postprandially. Although there are similar studies in the literature, there is no other study in which all groups have been studied together, as in our study., Results: The electrogastrography results showed that preprandial dominant frequency (P = .031*), dominant power (P = .047*), and instability coefficient (P = .043*), and postprandial dominant frequency (P = .041*) and dominant power (P = .035*) results were statistically significant among the functional dyspepsia, joint hypermobility, diabetic gastroparesis, and control groups. There was no significant difference found in terms of power ratio (P = .114) values. However, only glucose (P = .04*) and calcium (P = .04*) levels showed statistical significance. Several blood tests including hemoglobin (P = .032*), creatinine (P= .045*), calcium (P = .037*), potassium (P= .041*), white blood cells (P = .038*), and alanine aminotransferase (P = .031*) also showed correlation with the dominant frequency, power ratio, and instability coefficient parameters., Conclusions: This joint methodology demonstrated that it is possible to differentiate between functional dyspepsia, joint hypermobility, and diabetic gastroparesis patients from healthy subjects by using electrogastrography. Moreover, the majority of patients showed adequate gastric motility in response to food.

Description: Delayed gastric emptying on objective testing defines gastroparesis, but symptoms overlap with functional dyspepsia and do not correlate well with gastric emptying delay. This review outlines a strategy for defining, diagnosing, and managing refractory gastroparesis., Methods: The Best Practice Advice statements presented here were developed from review of existing literature combined with expert opinion to provide practical advice. Because this was not a systematic review, formal rating of the quality of evidence or strength of recommendations was not performed. BEST PRACTICE ADVICE., (Copyright © 2022 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

With the development of information technology, it has become a part of people's lives. WeChat is not only a popular chatting tool in daily life but can also be used in the medical field. Functional dyspepsia is a common pediatric disease, with complex pathogenic factors, which are usually attributed to abnormal gastric acid secretion and gastrointestinal dysfunction. In our research, we aim to investigate the effects of whole-course continuous nursing intervention combined with a nursing practice teaching method on the quality of life (QOL) of children with functional dyspepsia and parents' satisfaction. One hundred and twenty children with functional dyspepsia admitted to our hospital (February 2019-February 2020) were retrospectively analyzed and equally divided into the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG) according to the order of admission. The CG received whole-course continuous nursing intervention, and the EG received whole-course continuous nursing intervention combined with the nursing practice teaching method. Children's psychological states and QOL and parents' satisfaction of both groups were compared. After discharge, compared with the CG, the negative emotion scores in the EG were remarkably lower ( P < 0.001). After discharge, compared with the CG, the QOL scores ( P < 0.001), the proportion of children with good and excellent QOL ( P < 0.05), and parents' satisfaction ( P < 0.001) in the EG were remarkably higher. For children with functional dyspepsia, whole-course continuous nursing intervention combined with the nursing practice teaching method can improve their negative emotions, QOL, and parents' satisfaction, which should be popularized in practice., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Yue Li et al.)

Objectives: Disorders of gut-brain interaction, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia (FD), frequently overlap, but the impact of this on the natural history is unknown. We examined this issue in a longitudinal follow-up study conducted in a large cohort of individuals., Methods: We collected complete demographic, symptom, mood, and psychological health data from 1374 adults who self-identified as having IBS. We applied the Rome IV criteria to examine what proportion met criteria for IBS and FD, as well as the degree of overlap between them. At 12 months, we collected data regarding IBS symptom severity and impact, consultation behavior, treatments commenced, and psychological health according to degree of overlap between IBS and FD., Results: Overall, 807 individuals met the Rome IV criteria for IBS at baseline and provided complete data. At study entry, overlap of FD occurred in 446 (55.3%) people who met Rome IV criteria for IBS. At 12 months, 451 (55.9%) individuals were successfully followed up. The proportion of individuals consulting their primary care physician (P = .001) or a gastroenterologist (P < .001) because of their IBS was significantly higher in those with overlap of IBS and FD, and the number of new IBS treatments commenced was significantly higher (P = .007). Those with overlap of IBS and FD reported significantly more severe IBS symptoms (P < .001), continuous abdominal pain, and that their IBS symptoms limited normal daily activities ≥50% of the time. Finally, those with overlap were more likely to report abnormal anxiety and depression scores at 12 months compared with those with IBS alone, and to have higher levels of somatization (P < .001 for all analyses)., Conclusions: The natural history of people with IBS with overlap FD defined according to Rome IV criteria is more severe than those with IBS alone. This has important implications for future treatment trials in IBS., (Copyright © 2022 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The article presents the views on dyspepsia in world practice, data on the difficulties of diagnosis and the problem of the effectiveness of various therapy regimens. Particular attention is paid to the use of fixed forms of drugs for functional dyspepsia, in particular Omez DSR.

Dyspepsia is a disorder characterized by dyspeptic symptoms which are located in the epigastrium and related to digestion of food in the initial part of the digestive system. In functional dyspepsia, unlike organic dyspepsia, there is no underlying organic disease that would cause dyspeptic symptoms. Immune and mucosal function changes, gastric dysmotility, different composition of the gastrointestinal microbiota, and altered central nervous system processing are considered responsible for the onset of the disorder. The diagnosis is based on history, clinical presentation, and exclusion of other organic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract manifested by dyspeptic symptoms. Therapy includes eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection, proton pump inhibitors, prokinetics, neuromodulators, and herbal preparations. Unfortunately, in some patients, this therapy leads to little or no improvement. The prevalence of functional dyspepsia is increasing. It has become one of the more common gastroenterological diagnoses. In order to reduce the costs associated with the diagnosis and treatment of the disorder itself, its mechanisms need to be fully elucidated and thus enable finding appropriate therapy for all patient subgroups.

Background: Dyspepsia is a common cause of physician visits. If and when endoscopy should be performed depend on the regions and the populations. This study aimed to identify the current risk factors predictive of upper gastrointestinal malignancy or peptic ulcer in China with high prevalence of gastric cancer., Methods: A questionnaire was conducted among consecutive outpatients undergoing their first esophagogastroduodenoscopy for dyspepsia. Symptoms other than alarm symptoms in this study were defined as uncomplicated dyspepsia., Results: 4310 outpatients (mean age 44, median 42, range 14-86) were included in the final analyses. Significant pathology was found in 13.8% (595/4310) patients including peptic ulcer (12.3%) and upper gastrointestinal malignancy (1.5%). Age, male sex and alarm symptoms were significantly associated with malignancy. The age cut-off identified for upper gastrointestinal malignancy was 56 years among patients with uncomplicated dyspepsia, which was similar to the combined cutoff of age and gender., Conclusions: Age should be considered as the primary predictor for upper gastrointestinal malignancy in Chinese patients with uncomplicated dyspepsia. 56 could probably be the optimal age to identify those lesions in this population., Trial Registration: Chictr.org (ChiCTR2000040775)., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Objective: Age and alarm features are commonly used as indicators for endoscopy in dyspeptic patients; however, the age cut-off and the predictive value of these parameters for identifying upper gastrointestinal (UGI) malignancies are uncertain., Design: Cross-sectional study., Setting: Data were extracted from the Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Centre of Siriraj Hospital, Thailand, during 2005-2011., Participants: Consecutive patients underwent a first-time upper endoscopy for dyspepsia. Patients with previous surgery, suspected UGI malignancy by imaging, or indefinite biopsy results on prior examination were excluded., Main Outcome Measures: Alarm features included dysphagia, unintentional weight loss, GI bleeding/anaemia, and persistent vomiting. The diagnostic performance of each alarm feature and different age cut-off values were evaluated., Results: A total of 4664 patients (mean age: 52.0±14.4 years, 66% female) were included. Alarm symptoms were presented in 21.6%. The prevalence of active Helicobacter pylori infection was 26.3%. Fifty-eight (1.2%) patients had UGI malignancy. The prevalence of malignancy significantly increased with increasing age (0.6% in patients aged <50 years, and 1.8% in patients aged >60 years (p<0.001)). Cancer was found in two patients aged <50 years who did not have alarm features. Patients with alarm features had a higher prevalence of malignancy (OR 22.3, 95% CI 10.5 to 47.4; p<0.001) than those without. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of alarm features for UGI malignancy were 87.0%, 79.1%, 4.7% and 99.8%, respectively. Among all age groups, persistent vomiting had a positive likelihood ratio (PLR) >10, while dysphagia and GI bleeding/anaemia had a PLR >10 in patients <50 years old., Conclusion: Despite the overall limited value of age and alarm features, persistent vomiting, dysphagia, and GI bleeding/anaemia are strong predictors for malignancy in patients aged <50 years. Without these symptoms, cancer prevalence is negligible; thus, they are worthy guidance for endoscopic evaluation in this age group., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Functional dyspepsia is one of the most common functional disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, which resulted from impaired motor skills, visceral hypersensitivity, increased mucosal permeability, disorders of the autonomic nervous system, etc. There is no specific therapy for this disease, which often leads to the irrational use of various groups of drugs. Drug therapy is recommended only during periods of symptoms. The main options of pharmacotherapy include the use of proton pump inhibitors, phytotherapeutic drugs, eradication therapy of Helicobacter pylori. Against the background of possible motor disorders, prokinetics are also one of the possible treatment options, but cisapride has long been withdrawn from sale due to cardiotoxicity, the use of domperidone and metoclopramide is limited due to side effects, especially with long-term therapy, so currently the only prokinetic that can be used in everyday clinical practice is itopride. In refractory cases, tricyclic antidepressants and psychotherapeutic approaches are another effective treatment option.

Background: It is uncertain if functional dyspepsia (FD) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are linked to smoking, and smoking cessation is not part of the routine advice provided to these patients., Aim: To assess if smoking is an independent risk factor for FD and IBS., Methods: Three population-based endoscopy studies in Sweden with 2560 community individuals in total (mean age 51.5 years, 46% male). IBS (14.9%), FD (33.5%), and associated symptoms were assessed using the validated abdominal symptom questionnaire, and smoking (17.9%) was obtained from standardised questions during a clinic visit. The effect of smoking on symptom status was analysed in an individual person data meta-analysis using mixed effect logistic regression, adjusted for snuffing, age and sex., Results: Individuals smoking cigarettes reported significantly higher odds of postprandial distress syndrome (FD-PDS) (OR 10-19 cig/day = 1.42, 95% CI 1.04-1.98 P = 0.027, OR ≥20 cig/day = 2.16, 95% CI 1.38-3.38, P = 0.001) but not epigastric pain. Individuals smoking 20 or more cigarettes per day reported significantly higher odds of IBS-diarrhoea (OR = 2.40, 95% CI 1.12-5.16, P = 0.025), diarrhoea (OR = 2.01, 95%CI 1.28-3.16, P = 0.003), urgency (OR = 2.21, 95%CI 1.41-3.47, P = 0.001) and flatus (OR = 1.77, 95%CI 1.14-2.76, P = 0.012) than non-smokers. Smoking was not associated with IBS-constipation or IBS-mixed., Conclusion: Smoking is an important environmental risk factor for postprandial distress syndrome, the most common FD subgroup, with over a twofold increased odds of PDS in heavy smokers. The role of smoking in IBS-diarrhoea, but not constipation, is also likely important., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Gastric mucosa has been widely studied during the pre/post-Helicobacter pylori (Hp) era. Excluding peptic ulcer disease (PUD), the duodenal mucosa has not been thoroughly analyzed, even less so in functional dyspepsia (FD). We would like to make some comments after studying 161 dyspeptic patients with samples taken from the gastric body, antrum, proximal and distal duodenum.

Background: There is no study assessing the risk factors associated with functional dyspepsia (FD) in Chinese children based on the Rome IV criteria., Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from eight representative primary and secondary schools to assess the risk factors associated with FD in Chinese children based on the Rome IV criteria., Results: A total of 6976 Chinese children were enrolled. The mean age was 14.3 ± 2.5 years, with a range from 7 to 17 years, and 3497 (50.1%) participants were female. FD was prevalent in 209 (3.0%) of the Chinese child population studied. Age (OR = 1.112, P = 0.006), living independent of parents (OR = 1.677, P < 0.001), prolonged school meals (OR = 2.107, P < 0.001), never eat breakfast (OR = 2.192, P = 0.003), often/daily eat cold foods (OR = 2.296, P = 0.002; OR = 2.736, P = 0.011), and often eat pickled foods (OR = 2.390, P = 0.001) were found to be independent risk factors for FD. A nomogram with these risk factors had good discrimination (AUC = 0.727) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow test was 0.851)., Conclusions: Age, living independent of parents, prolonged school meals, never eat breakfast, often/daily eat cold foods and often eat pickled foods were independent risk factors for FD. The nomogram could be used as a quick screening tool to assess FD in Chinese children.

Background/purpose: There is scarcity of data on prevalence, overlap, and risk factors for functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) by Rome IV criteria. We evaluated these factors among medical, nursing, and humanities students., Methods: Rome IV Diagnostic Questionnaire (for all FGIDs), Rome III questionnaire (for irritable bowel syndrome [IBS], functional diarrhea [FDr], and functional constipation [FC]), and questionnaires assessing demography, physical activity, anxiety, and depression were used., Results: A total of 1309 college students were included (medical 425, nursing 390, humanities 494; mean age 20.5 ± 2.1 years; 36.5% males). Prevalence of Rome IV FGIDs was 26.9% (n = 352), significantly higher among females compared with males (32.3% vs. 17.6%; p < 0.001) and significantly higher among medical (34.4%) and nursing students (29.2%) compared with humanities students (18.6%) (p < 0.05). Most common FGIDs were functional dyspepsia (FD) (15.2%), IBS (6.2%), reflux hypersensitivity (3.5%), FDr (2.9%), FC (2.1%), and unspecified functional bowel disorder (2.1%). FGID overlap was present in 9.3%, most common being FD-IBS overlap (4.4%). With Rome III criteria, prevalence of IBS was higher (9.5%), while that of FDr (0.92%) and of FC (1.3%) were lower. On multivariate analysis, independent predictors for FGIDs were female gender, medical student, non-vegetarian diet, junk food, tea/coffee, poor physical activity, anxiety, and insomnia., Conclusion: Rome IV FGIDs were present among one-fourth of college students with preponderance among females and medical students. FD, IBS, and reflux hypersensitivity were the most common FGIDs. Rome IV criteria led to a reduction in IBS prevalence and increase in FDr and FC prevalence. Dietary factors, physical activity, anxiety, and insomnia affected FGID prevalence.

Background: Clinical features are of modest benefit in determining the etiology of dyspepsia. Dyspeptic patients with alarm features are suspected to have malignancy; but the proportions of patients and true cutoff values of various quantitative parameters in predicting malignancy are explored to a lesser extent., Methods: This is a prospective observational study of consecutive patients undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) for dyspeptic symptoms. Patients' alarm features and clinical details were recorded in a predesigned questionnaire. The diagnostic accuracy of alarm features in predicting malignancy was studied., Results: Nine hundred patients, 678 (75.3%) males, with a mean (standard deviation [SD]) age of 44.6 (13.54) years were enrolled. Commonest indication for EGD was epigastric pain in 614 (68.2%) patients. Dyspepsia was functional in 311 (34.6%) patients. EGD revealed benign lesions in 340 (37.8%) and malignancy in 50 (5.5%) patients. Among the malignant lesions, gastric malignancy was present in 28 (56%) and esophageal malignancy in 20 (40%) patients. Alarm features were present in 206 (22.9%), out of which malignant lesions were seen in 46 (22.3%) patients. Altogether, the alarm features had a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 81.2% for predicting malignancy. The sensitivity and specificity for weight loss were 76% and 90.8%, while that of abdominal mass were 10% and 99.9% respectively. Based on receiver operating characteristic curve, the optimal age for screening of malignancy was 46.5 years in this population., Conclusions: Patients of age group 40 to 49 years with dyspeptic alarm symptoms (predominant weight loss) need prompt endoscopy to screen for malignancy. The alarm features are inexpensive screening tools, found to be useful in India, and should be utilized in countries with similar healthcare conditions and disease epidemiology.

Background: Gastroparesis is a condition characterized by epigastric symptoms and delayed gastric emptying (GE) rate in the absence of any mechanical obstruction. The condition is challenging in clinical practice by the lack of guidance concerning diagnosis and management of gastroparesis., Methods: A Delphi consensus was undertaken by 40 experts from 19 European countries who conducted a literature summary and voting process on 89 statements. Quality of evidence was evaluated using grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation criteria. Consensus (defined as ≥80% agreement) was reached for 25 statements., Results: The European consensus defined gastroparesis as the presence of symptoms associated with delayed GE in the absence of mechanical obstruction. Nausea and vomiting were identified as cardinal symptoms, with often coexisting postprandial distress syndrome symptoms of dyspepsia. The true epidemiology of gastroparesis is not known in detail, but diabetes, gastric surgery, certain neurological and connective tissue diseases, and the use of certain drugs recognized as risk factors. While the panel agreed that severely impaired gastric motor function is present in these patients, there was no consensus on underlying pathophysiology. The panel agreed that an upper endoscopy and a GE test are required for diagnosis. Only dietary therapy, dopamine-2 antagonists and 5-HT 4 receptor agonists were considered appropriate therapies, in addition to nutritional support in case of severe weight loss. No consensus was reached on the use of proton pump inhibitors, other classes of antiemetics or prokinetics, neuromodulators, complimentary, psychological, or more invasive therapies. Finally, there was consensus that gastroparesis adversely impacts on quality of life and healthcare costs and that the long-term prognosis of gastroparesis depends on the cause., Conclusions and Inferences: A multinational group of European experts summarized the current state of consensus on definition, symptom characteristics, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of gastroparesis., (© 2021 The Authors. United European Gastroenterology Journal published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of United European Gastroenterology.)

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common disorder of gut-brain interaction, characterised by upper gastrointestinal symptom profiles that differentiate FD from the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), although the two conditions often co-exist. Despite food and eating being implicated in FD symptom induction, evidence-based guidance for dietetic management of FD is limited. The aim of this narrative review is to collate the possible mechanisms for eating-induced and food-related symptoms of FD for stratification of dietetic management. Specific carbohydrates, proteins and fats, or foods high in these macronutrients have all been reported as influencing FD symptom induction, with removal of 'trigger' foods or nutrients shown to alleviate symptoms. Food additives and natural food chemicals have also been implicated, but there is a lack of convincing evidence. Emerging evidence suggests the gastrointestinal microbiota is the primary interface between food and symptom induction in FD, and is therefore a research direction that warrants substantial attention. Objective markers of FD, along with more sensitive and specific dietary assessment tools will contribute to progressing towards evidence-based dietetic management of FD.