Reproducibility and reliability of the 13C-acetate breath test to measure gastric emptying of liquid meal in infants.
OBJECTIVE
This study assessed the noninvasive 13C-acetate breath test (13C-ABT) as a reliable and reproducible method to evaluate gastric emptying in infants


METHODS
Gastric emptying was measured simultaneously by scintigraphy and 13C-ABT in 11 infants with clinical symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux to validate the method compared with the gold standard. Gastric emptying was also measured with 13C-ABT in a separate group of 14 healthy infants on 2 consecutive days to evaluate reproducibility of the method. Half-emptying times obtained with scintigraphy and 13C-ABT were correlated with Pearson's analysis. The variability of the half-emptying times obtained on 2 consecutive days was analyzed with paired t test and by the coefficient of variation as proposed by Bland and Altman.


RESULTS
The mean emptying times obtained with scintigraphy and 13C-ABT were not different (89 +/- 27 min and 70 +/- 39 min, respectively, P = 0.22). Both methods correlated significantly (r = 0.75, P < 0.05). Half-emptying times measured on 2 consecutive days with 13C-ABT were 69 +/- 31 min and 68 +/- 30 min, respectively (mean difference = 1.4 +/- 12.4 min, P = 0.67). Intraindividual coefficient of variation was 6.3%.


CONCLUSIONS
This study supports the 13C-ABT method as a useful tool to evaluate gastric emptying of liquids in healthy infants and in infants with gastroesophageal reflux in the field of research and in clinical evaluations.
Barbosa
Lourdes
L
Medical Nutrition Research Unit, Pediatric Hospital of the Mexican Institute of Social Security, Mexico City, Mexico. bcmariade@hotmail.com
Vera
Herlinda
H
Moran
Segundo
S
Del Prado
Martha
M
López-Alarcón
Mardya
M
D000085:Acetates; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000379:methods; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000502:physiology*; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food; D008297:Male; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging / Q000379:methods; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors
D000085:Acetates; D002247:Carbon Isotopes