Entropy as a Tool for Quantifying Biomedical Signals: Gaps and Opportunities in Clinical Methodological Approaches-A Scoping Review.

In biomedical and engineering research, entropy metrics have become well-established tools for assessing the complexity of dynamic and physiological systems. This scoping review examines the relationship between information theory quantifiers (ITQs), bioelectrical signals, and time series, and the limited diagnostic value of these measures in functional dyspepsia (FD). Three main variables were defined in this study: entropy, health experiments, and FD. Eighty-five academic documents were analyzed using the PRISMA methodology, following 4 phases: (i) heuristic; (ii) classification and systematic review; (iii) hermeneutic analysis; and (iv) presentation of results. ITQs are currently applied in the study of neurodegenerative diseases, cardiological conditions, and, to a lesser extent, gastric disorders, thereby opening new avenues for diagnosis and comprehensive clinical management. The review of the documents shows that, despite the methodological robustness, statistical testing, classification approaches, and the breadth of entropy measures employed, significant challenges remain when integrating these techniques due to the intrinsic complexity and heterogeneity of bioelectrical signals in FD. Furthermore, knowledge gaps persist, particularly in digestive disorders such as FD, underscoring the need to deepen and diversify analytical methodologies.