Relationship between antral distension and postprandial symptoms in functional dyspepsia.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) after an every-day meal whether (1) gastrointestinal (GI) and extra-GI symptoms had any relation with the degree of antral volume, (2) the onset of postprandial symptoms was associated with, and may predict, delayed gastric emptying.


METHODS
In 94 symptomatic FD patients, antral volume variations and gastric emptying were assessed with ultrasonography after a 1050 kcal meal. Symptoms were evaluated with a standardized questionnaire. The association of GI and extra-GI symptoms with antral volumes and gastric emptying were estimated with logistic regression analysis.


RESULTS
Forty percent of patients did not report any symptoms after a meal. Compared to the healthy controls, the antrum was more distended in patients throughout the entire observation period and 37 (39.4%) patients had delayed gastric emptying. Only postprandial drowsiness was associated with antral volume variations (AOR = 1.42; P < 0.001) and with delayed gastric emptying (AOR = 3.59; P < 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
In FD patients, GI symptoms are neither associated with antral distension nor with gastric emptying. Drowsiness is associated with antral distension and delayed gastric emptying. The onset of drowsiness is preceded by an increment of antral distension and the duration of the symptom appears to be related to the persistence of antral distension.
Pallotta
Nadia
N
Department Scienze Cliniche, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
Pezzotti
Patrizio
P
Corazziari
Enrico
E
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000502:physiology; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019518:Postprandial Period / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011706:Pyloric Antrum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014463:Ultrasonography