Delayed gastric emptying in children with poor appetite.
BACKGROUND
In this study we aimed to evaluate gastric emptying time in children with poor appetite.


METHODS
Anthropometrical measurements, daily energy intakes and gastric emptying times were determined in 36 children with poor appetite. The children were grouped as those with normal and delayed gastric emptying. These groups were then compared with respect to age and nutritional status.


RESULTS
Malnutrition was found in 63.9% and gastric emptying was delayed in 58.3% of all cases. Children with delayed gastric emptying were significantly older and malnutrition was significantly higher in this group (7.2 +/- 3.1 vs 3.9 +/- 1.5 years, P: 0.001 and 81.0% vs 40.0%, P: 0.017, respectively). Daily mean energy intake was significantly lower than daily mean energy requirement in children with delayed and normal gastric emptying (P = 0.002 and 0.026 respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
In children with poor appetite, probability of gastric motility disorders should be taken into consideration. Especially in children with failure to thrive at preschool and early school years gastric motility studies should be undertaken.
Buyukgebiz
B
B
Dokuz Eylul University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, lnciralti-35340, Izmir, Turkey.
Bekem
O
O
Ozturk
Y
Y
Aydin
A
A
Tasci
C
C
Arslan
N
N
Durak
H
H
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D000886:Anthropometry; D001066:Appetite; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors