Introduction:

The term “dyspepsia” refers to a set of symptoms that include localized upper abdominal pain, postprandial fullness, nausea, early satiety, flatulence, regurgitation, and belching. One of the possible etiologies is altered gallbladder motility. This study evaluates the reduction in gallbladder ejection fraction (GEF) as a potential cause of dyspepsia in patients without gallstones, using ultrasound with the Boyden test.

Patients and Methods:

A prospective, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted on 141 patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia and no gallstones between 2023 and 2025. Abdominal ultrasound was performed before and after the ingestion of a fatty meal. Gallbladder volume was measured, and GEF was calculated; values <53% were considered decreased.

Results:

78.7% of the dyspeptic patients were women. The mean GEF was 63.3±18.3%, with no significant differences between sexes. A decreased GEF was observed in 24.5% of patients, with no correlation to age or sex.

Discussion:

The frequency of gallbladder dysmotility found is consistent with previous studies (19-33%). Although no clinical correlation with age or sex was identified, the findings suggest that a significant proportion of patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia may have underlying gallbladder dysfunction.

Conclusions:

One in four patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia and no gallstones showed gallbladder dysfunction. Routine use of ultrasound with the Boyden test is recommended for diagnostic purposes in such cases, along with expanded studies including control groups.