[Epidemiology of non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) in Japan]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence of NUD in Japan and to describe the clinical presentation of NUD. The population of this study consisted of the patients initially visited to our gastroenterology clinic during the period of one year from Feb. 1990 to Jan. 1991. Out of the total population, 106 patients with dyspepsia were suspected of NUD according to the definition of AGA, and have received the endoscopy and ultrasonography to find the existence of organic disease. While 50 cases presented organic diseases (19 peptic ulcers, 16 gastritis, 7 carcinoma, 4 gall stone, 4 esophageal disease), 56 cases were with no organic diseases and were regarded as NUD. NUD was more common in younger generation and was especially so in women under 40 years old. There was no significant difference in symptoms between NUD and organic diseases. On the other hand, peptic ulcer disease was frequently associated with sever epigastralgia, and smoking habit as a external factor, while abdominal fullness was predominant feature observed in NUD.