Delayed gastric emptying rates and impaired antral motility in children fulfilling Rome III criteria for functional abdominal pain

Abstract

Background Gastric sensorymotor dysfunctions have been implicated in the pathophysiology of some functional gastrointestinal disorders, such as functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome. Therefore, we hypothesized that abnormal gastric emptying and impaired antral motility are possible underlying mechanisms of symptoms in children with Hundred and two children [37 functional abdominal pain (FAP). Methods years] fulfilling Rome years, SD 2.7 years, mean 7.8 (36.3%) males, 4-14 III criteria for FAP were recruited for this study. An age and sex 20) were selected as controls = compatible group of healthy children (n years]. Liquid years, SD 3.0 years, mean 8.4 [8 (40%) males, 4-14 gastric emptying rate (GER) and antral motility parameters (amplitude of antral contractions, frequency of antral contractions and antral motility index) were assessed using a previously reported ultrasound Average GER (42.1% vs 66.2% in controls), amplitude method. Key Results of antral contractions (56.5% vs 89%), frequency of contractions per min (8.5 vs 9.3), and antral motility index (4.9 vs 8.3) were 3 significantly lower in patients with FAP compared with controls (P<0.01). Fasting antral area was higher in patients (1.4 vs 0.6, P<0.0001). GER negatively correlated with the scores obtained for 0.004). Conclusions = -0.29, P = severity of abdominal pain (r & Gastric emptying rate and antral motility parameters were Inferences significantly impaired in patients with FAP and GER negatively correlated with symptom severity. These findings highlight the possible role of gastrointestinal motility abnormalities in the pathophysiology of childhood FAP.