Is gastroparesis a gastric disease?. Issue 5 (17th February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cogliandro, Rosanna F.; Rizzoli, Giada; Bellacosa, Lara; De Giorgio, Roberto; Cremon, Cesare; Barbara, Giovanni; Stanghellini, Vincenzo
• Is Part Of: Neurogastroenterology & motility. Volume 31:Issue 5(2019)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2019-02-17
• Subjects: gastric emptying -- gastrointestinal symptoms -- gastroparesis -- manometry -- small bowel motility; Gastrointestinal system -- Motility -- Periodicals; Gastrointestinal system -- Innervation -- Periodicals; 616.33
• DOI: 10.1111/nmo.13562
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1350-1925

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Gastroparesis is a digestive syndrome characterized by delayed gastric emptying (GE) and by symptoms that are suggestive of gastroduodenal motor disorders. There are three grades of gastroparesis of increasing severity: (a) mild gastroparesis; (b) compensated gastroparesis; and (c) gastric failure. GE abnormalities are partially related to symptom type and severity, and other mechanisms may be involved. Aim: To investigate enteric dysmotility (ED) in patients with suspected gastroparesis. Methods: Patients with symptoms suggestive of gastroparesis were consecutively included in the study and underwent a 13 C‐octanoic acid GE breath test and small bowel manometry (SBM). Clinical features were recorded using predefined, validated questionnaires at entry. Key Results: The study enrolled 88 patients (71 women; mean age: 37.8 ± 14.3 years). Gastric emptying was delayed in 25 patients (28.4%), and 70 patients (79.5%) presented small bowel motor abnormalities including bursts, abnormal activity fronts, inability to respond to meal ingestion, and hypocontractility. Gastric emptying was delayed in 24 of the 70 patients with ED (34.3% vs 5.5% of patients with normal SBM). Enteric dysmotility was detected in 24 of 25 patients (96%) with delayed GE. Patients with and without delayed GE showed similar moderate/severe gastroparesis manifestations, but patients with ED significantly more often had moderate/severe gastroparesis manifestations than patients with normal SBM (grade 1:14% vs 39%, grade 2:62% vs 56%, grade 3:24% vs 5%, respectively). Conclusions and Inferences: Enteric dysmotility was more frequent than delayed GE in patients with symptoms suggestive of gastroparesis. Gastroparesis severity was associated with small bowel motor abnormalities but not with delayed GE. Abstract : The present study demonstrated that small bowel motor activities are at least as important as delayed GE in the condition that is now defined as gastroparesis. This must be considered if we are to fully understand the nature of this condition.