Are Functional Dyspepsia and Gastroparesis Separate Entities?

Functional dyspepsia (FD) and delayed gastric emptying are two clinically indistinguishable disorders. While FD is classified as a disorder of gut-brain interaction and gastroparesis is defined as a motility disorder, current literature suggest that these entities cannot be properly separated with existing classifications or diagnostic modalities. Both disorders result from complex brain-gut interactions as evidenced by the limited understanding of exact pathophysiology and the presence of multisystem comorbidities. Future diagnostic classifications need to be driven by research investigating underlying brain-gut neural signaling using advanced technology and with the help of properly established pediatric reference ranges.