Risk indicators of delayed gastric emptying of solids in patients with functional dyspepsia.
OBJECTIVE
Although gastric dysmotility and dyspeptic symptoms are often associated, their relationship remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between gastric emptying abnormalities and clinical features in functional dyspepsia.


METHODS
In 343 patients with functional dyspepsia, the gastric emptying of solids was measured by a radioisotopic technique and four dyspeptic symptoms (epigastric pain and burning, postprandial fullness, nausea, and vomiting) were measured as absent, mild, relevant, and severe, according to their influence on patients' usual activities.


RESULTS
Delayed gastric emptying was detected in 33.5% of dyspeptics. Delayed gastric emptying was particularly frequent in patients characterized by female sex, low body weight, presence of relevant and severe postprandial fullness, nausea, vomiting, and absence of relevant and severe epigastric pain. Logistic regression showed that delayed gastric emptying was invariably associated with female sex and postprandial fullness (odds ratio, 2.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.45-3.75) and vomiting (odds ratio, 4.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.30-12.54) when coded as severe and only postprandial fullness (odds ratio, 3.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.78-8.01) when coded as relevant and severe.


CONCLUSIONS
Female sex, relevant and severe postprandial fullness, and severe vomiting are independently associated with delayed gastric emptying of solids in patients with functional dyspepsia seen in a referral center.
Stanghellini
V
V
Institute of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, University of Bologna, Italy.
Tosetti
C
C
Paternico
A
A
Barbara
G
G
Morselli-Labate
A M
AM
Monetti
N
N
Marengo
M
M
Corinaldesi
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors