Publication date: Sep 19, 2023

Symptoms in gastroparesis (Gp) and functional dyspepsia (FD) overlap; using egg protein substitute to measure gastric emptying of solids (GES), ~40% of patients are reclassified from Gp to FD, and vice versa. Our aim was to assess inter-individual and intra-individual coefficients of variation (COV) in GES in symptomatic patients with Gp or FD with documented slow or normal GES, respectively. Scintigraphic GES (T and GE% at 2 and 4 hours) using a 320 kcal real egg meal (30% fat) was tested in the following: single measurements in 20 patients with diabetes mellitus (10 each type 1 and type 2); repeat GES to estimate COV measured: 3 days apart in 9 Gp, 4 weeks apart in 21 Gp and 18 with FD with normal GE assigned to placebo and in 70 patients at 94. 3 weeks (median) apart. COV for GE% at 4 hours and GE T were respectively 14. 2% and 23. 5% in FD and 27. 5% and 33% in Gp; COV for GE% at 4 hours and GE T up to 4 weeks apart were 23. 4% and 37. 9% in FD and 20. 1% and 33% in Gp. GE% at 2 hours showed less consistent results. However, >85% retained original diagnosis as normal or delayed. From clinical GES to baseline research for Gp group, repeat GES (after treatment) showed the COV for GE% at 4 hours was 37. 3% at median 94. 3 weeks, with 26/70 changed diagnoses. The 320 kcal (30% fat) GES scintigraphic test provides consistent diagnosis in >85% and should be the standard test for suspected gastric emptying disorders.

Semantics

Original Article