title: Pattern of gastric emptying in functional dyspepsia. An ultrasonographic study.
abstract: We assessed the ultrasonographic pattern of gastric emptying in patients with functional dyspepsia, evaluating its relationship with symptoms. Twenty dyspeptic patients, with slight (group A) and severe (group B) symptoms, and 10 controls (group C) underwent ultrasonographic study of gastric emptying by measuring postprandial variations of the antral area at regular intervals. The time at which the antral area returned to the basal value was assumed to be the final emptying time. The final emptying time was significantly longer in both group A (294 +/- 42 min) and group B (340 +/- 36 min) compared to controls (244 +/- 21 min), but no significant difference was observed between them. A significantly (P < 0.05) greater dilation of the antral area was found at 50 min in group B compared to group A patients. A different pattern of antral motor function rather than a delay of gastric emptying correlates with the severity of symtoms in dyspeptic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Internal Specialties, Section Francaviglia, University of Catania, via S. Sofia n. 86, 95100 Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimiliano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loreno
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bucceri
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Catalano
authors.forename: Liboria Agata
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Muratore
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blasi
authors.forename: Alfio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brogna
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019518:Postprandial Period; D013270:Stomach / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography