The relationship between gastritis and dyspeptic complaints remains obscure. The purpose of this study was to provide a new view on the problem and compare the frequency and character of symptoms of functional gastric dyspepsia in patients with advanced body gastritis with complaints of patients with a normal gastric mucosa. The group of patients comprised 52 patients, incl. 25 with deep corporal gastritis and 27 patients with a normal gastric mucosa. The patients in both groups were of comparable age and sex. In patients with a normal gastric mucosa there was a significantly more frequent incidence of pain in the epigastrium, in particular on fasting, pressure in the epigastrium after meals and independently on meals, and in particular pyrosis. The higher incidence of pyrosis but possibly also other complaints (pain and pressure in the epigastri- um) can be related to a higher gastric acidity in patients with a normal gastric mucosa as compared with patients with advanced corporal gastritis. Nervous influences participated in the patients complaints with as normal gastric mucosa more frequently than in patients with gastritis. The results indicate that the cause of functional dyspepsia cannot be sought in chronic gastritis, not even in advanced corporal gastritis, but in particular in functional disorders, is frequently associated with nervous influences.

        Key words: chronic gastritis – normal gastric mucosa – dyspepsia