Functional dyspepsia and gastroparesis are characterised by similar primary symptoms: nausea, vomiting, postprandial fullness, early satiety and upper abdominal discomfort. However, the population prevalence of the two conditions is very different.
The global prevalence of functional dyspepsia (54 127 respondents from 26 countries) was 7.2% (range 2.2 - 12.3%). 1 On the other hand, the standardised prevalence of gastroparesis in the UK (Clinical Practice Research Datalink database 2 ) and in the USA (US national administrative health insurance claims database 3 ) were, respectively, 13.8 (95% CI 12.6 to 15.1) and 267.7 (95% CI 264.8 to 270.7) cases per 100 000 persons, that is, 0.014 - 0.267%.
This wide prevalence range may reflect different criteria for 'gastroparesis' in nationwide databases. Based on the Rochester Epidemiology Project (Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA), the age-adjusted prevalence of definite gastroparesis (delayed gastric emptying by standard scintigraphy and typical symptoms for>3 months) was 24.2 (95% CI 15.7 to 32.6)...
Gut (BMJ) published a clinical update in Research Highlights on 07 Apr 2026.
The item focuses on Are functional dyspepsia and gastroparesis really 'interchangeable diseases?.
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