[Study on the recognition of upper abdominal symptoms by Japanese adults ]

Four hundred and sixty-three cases, who visited medical center for annual check-up, were enrolled in this study. All subjects were required to answer three symptoms in the ten upper abdominal symptoms and the frequency of these symptoms by which they might visit hospital to take medical care. Upper abdominal pain, nausea and chest pain were best three symptoms, which might cause hospital visit and only a few subjects thought that they make a hospital visit by heartburn, acid regurgitation and early satiety. More than 30% of subjects think that they might visit medical center for medical care when these symptoms occur over three times per week. In contrast, upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, heartburn and early satiety were frequently observed in 100 patients, who visited medical center to take medical care. In addition, about half of patients visited medical center when these symptoms occurred every day.