AIM:　To　study　the　evolution　of　gastrointestinal　symptoms　and　associated　factors　in　Chinese　patients　with　functional　dyspepsia　(FD).　METHODS:　From　June　2008　to　November　2009,　a　total　of　1049　patients　with　FD　(65.3%　female,　mean　age　42.80　+/-　11.64　years)　who　visited　the　departments　of　gastroenterology　in　Wuhan,　Beijing,　Shanghai,　Guangzhou,　and　Xi＇an,　China　were　referred　for　this　study.　All　of　the　patients　fulfilled　the　Rome.　criteria　for　FD.　Baseline　demographic　data,　dyspepsia　symptoms,　anxiety,　depression,　sleep　disorder,　and　drug　treatment　were　assessed　using　self-report　questionnaires.　Patients　completed　questionnaires　at　baseline　and　after　1,　3,　6　and　12　mo　follow-up.　Comparison　of　dyspepsia　symptoms　between　baseline　and　after　follow-up　was　explored　using　multivariate　analysis　of　variance　of　repeated　measuring.　Multiple　linear　regression　was　done　to　examine　factors　associated　with　outcome,　both　longitudinally　and　horizontally.　RESULTS:　Nine　hundred　and　forty-three　patients　(89.9%　of　the　original　population)　completed　all　four　follow-ups.　The　average　duration　of　follow-up　was　12.24　+/-　0.59　mo.　During　1-year　follow-up,　the　mean　dyspeptic　symptom　score　(DSS)　in　FD　patients　showed　a　significant　gradually　reduced　trend　(P　＜　0.001),　and　similar　differences　were　found　for　all　individual　symptoms　(P　＜　0.001).　Multiple　linear　regression　analysis　showed　that　sex　(P　＜　0.001),　anxiety　(P　=　0.018),　sleep　disorder　at　1-year　follow-up　(P　=　0.019),　weight　loss　(P　＜　0.001),　consulting　a　physician　(P　＜　0.001),　and　prokinetic　use　during　1-year　follow-up　(P　=　0.035)　were　horizontally　associated　with　DSS　at　1-year　follow-up.　No　relationship　was　found　longitudinally　between　DSS　at　1-year　follow-up　and　patient　characteristics　at　baseline.　CONCLUSION:　Female　sex,　anxiety,　and　sleep　disorder,　weight　loss,　consulting　a　physician　and　prokinetic　use　during　1-year　follow-up　were　associated　with　outcome　of　FD.　(C)　2013　Baishideng.　All　rights　reserved.