Dyspepsia is one of the most common disorders in medicine, with dyspeptic patients seen on a daily basis not only by gastroenterologists but also by physicians in a variety of other fields. However, organic causes are found in only a minority of such patients. Functional dyspepsia (FD) is defined as a condition in which upper abdominal symptoms occur in the absence of organic disease that explains them. There are many FD patients in Asian as well asWestern countries. The scientific investigation of the pathophysiology of FD began only recently and its first definition was developed in 1988.1 Since then, many of the ideas on this condition have been derived from studies conducted in Western societies, despite the large number of FD patients in Asian populations and much important research from Asian countries.
Accordingly, the establishment of an Asian consensus for FD is crucial in order to attract attention to such data from Asian countries, to articulate the experience and views of Asian experts, and to provide a relevant guide to the management of this disease for primary care physicians working in Asia. In particular, environmental factors such as food, lifestyle and prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection are widely different in Asian countries compared to the West, and physiological functions and genetic factors of Asians may also be different from those of Westerners. Therefore, the Asian perspective should be useful for further understanding the pathogenesis of FD.
The understanding of FD is progressing and will evolve over time.We have summarized the current Asian perspective on FD in this consensus report, which will be revised as our understanding of FD grows.
