title: Predictors of gastroparesis in out-patients with secondary and idiopathic upper gastrointestinal symptoms.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Delayed gastric emptying occurs frequently in patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms associated with functional or organic diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether: (i) the prevalence of delayed gastric emptying is influenced by the presence of organic disease; (ii) demographic or clinical factors predict modestly or markedly (gastroparesis) delayed emptying.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 327 consecutive out-patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Routine diagnostic work-up and evaluation of demographic factors, gastrointestinal symptom evaluation and scintigraphic gastric emptying of solids were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Organic diseases were detected in 227/327 (65%) patients: 33% had delayed emptying and 20% gastroparesis. Female gender (OR: 2.1; 95% C.I.: 1.3-3.4). overweight (0.5; 0.3-0.9), relevant postprandial fullness (1.8; 1.1-3.2) and relevant epigastric bloating (1.8; 1.1-2.9), but not the presence of organic diseases, were associated with delayed emptying. Female gender (3.9; 1.3-11.9) and relevant postprandial fullness (4.1; 1.7-10.2) were associated with gastroparesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (i) There is a high prevalence of delayed gastric emptying and gastroparesis in out-patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms, which is not influenced by the presence of organic disease; (ii) female gender, low body weight, relevant fullness and bloating are associated with delayed emptying; female gender and relevant postprandial fullness predict gastroparesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Bologna, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy. vstang@med.unibo.it
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stanghellini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tosetti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horowitz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Giorgio
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbara
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cogliandro
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cogliandro
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corinaldesi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000502:physiology*; D018589:Gastroparesis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology