Aim: The prevalence of dyspepsia in the community is poorly known, because most studies have used samples that were not representative of the general population. This study was intended to determine the prevalence of dyspepsia in a random sample of the general population, and its epidemiologic and sociodemographic characteristics.
Methods: In this descriptive study we used a questionnaire administered during a personal interview to survey a random sample of 264 subjects in a Mediterranean population.
Results: The prevalence of dyspepsia was 24%; we found no relation between prevalence and demographic characteristics, smoking and drinking, or type of dyspepsia. Forty subjects with dyspepsia were examined and the specific diagnosis was found in 18 (45%) of them. The subgroup with reflux-like dyspepsia was the largest (60%), although there was considerable overlap between subgroups with reflux-like, ulcer-like and dysmotility-like dyspepsia. Anti-Helicobacter pylori antibodies (IgG) were found in 52% of the subjects, but bacterial infection was not related with dyspepsia.
Conclusions: Up to one-fourth of the general population in the city where the subjects reside may have dyspepsia. This disorder was associated with irritable bowel syndrome in half of the cases, but was not associated with H. pylori infection.