Alterations in gastric motility and sensation in functional dyspepsia (FD)
| Measurement | Major findings |
|---|---|
| Myoelectric activity | Alterations in gastric slow waves (tachygastria, bradygastria) in patients with chronic idiopathic nausea and vomiting, and in some patients with FD. |
| Contractile activity | Reduced number and/or amplitude of gastric antral pressure waves in 25–40% of a heterogeneous group of patients, including patients with FD; no apparent difference in postprandial antral motility index between Helicobacter pylori positive and negative FD patients; possible decreased frequency of gastric phase 3 of the migrating motor complex in H pylori chronic gastritis; alterations in antroduodenal motor activity normalized after H pylori eradication. |
| Compliance | Gastric compliance normal overall. |
| Gastric emptying | Scintigraphic delay in gastric emptying in 30–75% of patients. |
| Regional gastric motor dysfunction | Altered intragastric distribution of food (scintigraphy, ultrasonography) in FD; demonstration of a wide gastric antrum in FD (ultrasonography); impaired antral emptying in FD (ultrasonography); impaired proximal gastric accommodation in FD (ultrasonography); impaired duodenogastric reflex in FD (barostat). |
| Gastric sensitivity | Heightened perception of gastric distension in at least 50% of patients with FD. |
For references to relevant studies, see Chapter 3, tables 4 and 5. In: Drossman D, ed. Rome II: The functional gastrointestinal disorders. McLean, VA: Degnon, 2000 (in press).