Electrogastrography in pediatric functional dyspepsia: relationship to gastric emptying and symptom severity.
OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to determine the electrogastrographic patterns in children with functional dyspepsia and to investigate the correlations among electrogastrogram (EGG), gastric emptying (GE), and pain severity.


METHODS
We studied 30 children (19 F; mean age 11.4 years) with functional dyspepsia. Electrogastrography was performed for 30 minutes fasting and for 1 hour during a GE test after ingestion of an isotope-labeled solid meal. The percent emptying was measured every 10 minutes for 1 hour after the meal. The dominant frequency of the EGG, the change in the postprandial peak power (deltaP), and percent dysrhythmia during each recording session were calculated. Specific symptoms were graded from 0 (none) to 4 (severe) by the patient.


RESULTS
Of 30 patients, 14 (47%) had slow GE, and 15 (50%) had abnormal EGG (dysrhythmia > or = 30% or deltaP < 0). GE was slow in 73% of patients with an abnormal EGG but was slow in only 20% of patients with normal EGG (P = 0.009). GE was negatively correlated with fasting bradygastria (r = -0.383, P = 0.04). Abdominal pain was the most severe dyspeptic symptom, both during fasting and after the meal. Patients with an abnormal EGG had an increased mean pain severity score (3.5 +/- 0.2 vs. 2.5 +/- 0.2, P = 0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
Sixty percent of functional dyspepsia subjects had either slow GE or abnormal EGG. Patients with abnormal EGG were more likely to have slow GE. EGG abnormalities were associated with more severe postprandial pain and should be considered a possible mechanism for dyspeptic symptoms.
Section of Gastroenterology, The Children's Mercy Hospital and Clinics, Kansas City, Missouri 64108, USA. cfriesen@cmh.edu
Craig A
CA
Friesen
Zhiyue
Z
Lin
Paul E
PE
Hyman
Linda
L
Andre
Elly
E
Welchert
Jennifer Verril
JV
Schurman
Jose T
JT
Cocjin
Nanci
N
Burchell
Shelia
S
Pulliam
Anne
A
Moore
Teri
T
Lavenbarg
Richard W
RW
McCallum
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004568:Electrodiagnosis; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016065:Myoelectric Complex, Migrating / Q000502:physiology; D019518:Postprandial Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013671:Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid
D013671:Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid