Proposed Algorithm for the Diagnosis and Management of Functional Dyspepsia in India

Disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI), formerly known as functional bowel disorders, encompass a diverse array of conditions and symptoms that may manifest in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Some of the most prevalent DGBIs include functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, functional constipation, functional diarrhea, and functional bloating and distension. Around 80% of patients with dyspepsia have no identifiable organic cause and are labeled as functional dyspepsia. Globally, functional dyspepsia prevalence ranges from 11 to 30%. In India, physicians encounter 20-40% of patients with functional dyspepsia, with variations attributed to diagnostic criteria and regions. However, Indian clinical guidelines for functional dyspepsia are currently lacking. Fifty gastroenterologists participated in focus group discussions to create an India-specific algorithm for the diagnosis and management of functional dyspepsia. After several national and regional discussions among groups of gastroenterologists across India, an algorithm was finalized for careful and thorough clinical evaluation of patients presenting with chronic dyspeptic symptoms. This guidance document highlights the role of endoscopic evaluation and Helicobacter pylori infection in the diagnosis of functional dyspepsia, along with the role of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and prokinetics in its treatment. The experts also reviewed the use of several prokinetics and provided their views on the choice of drugs for varied clinical presentations of functional dyspepsia. Among prokinetics, the experts believed that itopride was the preferred and relatively safer option for the treatment of functional dyspepsia.