Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether comparing the pressure pain threshold (PPT) with an algometer before and after treatment for functional dyspepsia is of diagnostic value and investigate a possible correlation between PPT measured using an algometer and symptom improvement before and after treatment.Methods: A total of 99 patients with functional dyspepsia symptoms admitted to the OO Korean Medical Hospital from April 14, 2020 to January 21, 2021 were investigated. On the 1st and 14th days of hospitalization, the pressure of the first pain complaint at acupuncture points Juque (巨厥, CV14), Shangwan (上脘, CV13), Zhongwan (中脘, CV12), Xiawan (下脘, CV10), Guanuan (關元, CV4), Tianshu (天樞, ST25), and Daju (大巨, ST27) was measured using the algometer, and the visual analog scale (VAS) scores for patient’s symptoms were evaluated. The algometer PPT and patient-symptom VAS scores were compared by repeated measures corresponding to the sample t-test to analyze the changes after treatment. A correlation analysis was performed to identify the correlation between patient-symptom VAS scores and algometer PPT.Results: The PPT measured using the algometer significantly increased after treatment in the 99 patients. The patient-symptom VAS score decreased significantly in most cases as treatment progressed. Analysis of the correlation between algometer PPT and patient-symptom VAS scores revealed some notable negative correlations.Conclusion: The algometer can help to set the diagnostic and treatment baselines for patients with functional dyspepsia.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the diagnostic factors of Damjeok in the literature.Methods: This study used the databases of five (Mediclassics, RISS, KMbase, OASIS, CNKI) to analyze diagnostic factors of Damjeok. Literatures published by May 2023 were assessed and we classified 91 literatures dealing with diagnostic factors by 5 categories, ‘characteristics’, ‘location’, ‘symptom’, ‘pulse wave & tongue feature’, and ‘eating habits & lifestyle’.Results: Damjeok is mainly formed at the stomach in the form of lump or hard seed, and it can be observed in other regions or even the whole body by its trait of floating. Damjeok mainly shows symptoms of the digestive system and also causes various symptoms associated with the respiratory system and infection, musculoskeletal system, urogenital system, neuropsychiatric system and cardiovascular system. Regarding pulse wave and tongue feature, a slippery wave and greasy coated tongue are typical features of Damjeok. Additionally, bad eating habits and a lack of exercise have been described as a factor that cause and aggravate Damjeok.Conclusions: The two most important factors in the diagnosis of Damjeok are abdominal stiffness by physical examination and digestive symptoms, and these correspond to the definition of a syndrome. Diagnostic factors based on literature evidence will provide clues to the clinical diagnosis of Damjeok syndrome.

Background: A subset of patients with chronic dyspepsia exhibits palpable upper abdominal hardness and systemic symptoms like headache, chest discomfort, neck/shoulder stiffness, fatigue, and depression. In traditional Korean medicine (TKM), this symptom complex is referred to as Damjeok syndrome (痰积症候群, DJS). Although DJS is frequently observed in TKM practice, it lacks a clear case definition and biological mechanism, limiting its integration in gastroenterology research and evidence-based practice. Clarifying its clinical and biological features is essential to understand its pathophysiology and clinical significance. Methods: This case–control study aimed to characterize DJS by comparing 16 female patients diagnosed with DJS and 15 age-matched healthy females as controls. A female-only cohort was selected to reflect the higher prevalence of chronic dyspepsia in women and reduce biological variability. Clinical characteristics and potential DJS-specific biomarkers were evaluated through complete blood count (CBC), serum biochemical tests, heart rate variability (HRV) for autonomic function, and plasma 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), a serotonin metabolite linked to gastrointestinal motility and autonomic regulation. Results: The DJS group had a mean disease duration of 58.0 ± 46.2 months, with epigastric fullness and underlying abdominal hardness as primary complaints. Postprandial distress syndrome (PDS) was the most common (43.8%) dyspepsia subtype, often combined with epigastric pain syndrome (EPS). Extra-gastrointestinal symptoms such as headache/fatigue (87.5%) and anxiety/depression (81.3%) were highly prevalent. Neutrophil counts were significantly lower in the DJS group (p = 0.01), while other hematological or biochemical markers showed no differences (p > 0.1). HRV analysis revealed decreased parasympathetic activity (RMSSD and HF, p < 0.1), and plasma 5-HIAA levels were significantly elevated compared to healthy controls (p = 0.01). Conclusions: DJS aligns with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), sharing psychosomatic symptoms and reduced parasympathetic activity, suggesting gut–brain axis dysregulation. However, distinct features like palpable upper abdominal hardness and elevated plasma 5-HIAA levels indicate that DJS may represent a unique subtype within the category of FGIDs. These findings highlight the need for larger, well-designed studies to further elucidate the pathophysiology of DJS.

Objectives: Using algometer, measure the pressure pain threshold (PPT) of the epigastric pain(心下痞硬) and calculate the cut-off value, and this can serve as the basis for prognostic diagnosis of functional dyspepsia so we would like to evaluate its diagnostic value.Methods: We investigated 353 patients with functional dyspepsia symptoms who admitted Gangnam Weedahm Oriental Hospital from February 1, 2021 to February 27, 2021. At the time of the patient's visit, an oriental medical doctor measured the pressure at the first pain point on the Algometer of (CV14), twice each, at 1minute intervals. The ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve and the optimal cut-off value derived through the diagnosis of the (CV14) PPT value for epigastric pain(心下痞硬) and the gold standard of oriental medical doctor, it was evaluated through.Results: In 353 patients, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.909 (p=0). In addition, the optimal cutting value was 10.05 (kg/cm2), which was statistically significant. Additionally, the sensitivity of the Algometer's PPT measurement was 0.704 and the specificity was 0.884. As a result, if the PPT value of the Algometer exceeds 10.05 (kg/㎠) in terms of the optimal cutting value, it can be seen that epigastric pain(心下痞硬) is lost.Conclusion: Algometer's PPT value measurement can be a reliable test method for quantification of epigastric pain(心下痞硬) diagnosis and can be useful as an objective indicator.