Eating behavior and gastric emptying in adults with Prader-Willi syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a complex genetic disorder characterized by distinctive physical, behavioral and psychiatric features. One cardinal symptom is excessive eating, often leading to extreme obesity. The etiology of the hyperphagia is unknown, but eating behaviors and gastrointestinal motility could play a pivotal role. In this pilot study, we therefore sought to give a closer description of the two.


METHODS
12 PWS adults, 6 men and 6 women, 17-37 years of age with a median BMI of 34.9 were evaluated. Computerized monitoring of eating behavior and assessment of gastric emptying using paracetamol absorption were analyzed. Gastric emptying rate was compared to the rate in normal and obese controls.


RESULTS
Eating behavior pattern was nonhomogeneous in the PWS patients, but they experienced both hunger and satiation. In PWS gastric emptying was similar to lean subjects (p > 0.05), but longer than in obese subjects (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite obesity, this group of adults with PWS did not display overeating in the test situation and gastric emptying rate was normal. Numbers are small, but the results are important for the treatment of obesity in this special group of patients.
Hoybye
Charlotte
C
Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetology, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden. charlotte.hoybye@karolinska.se <hoybye@karolinska.se>
Barkeling
Britta
B
Naslund
Erik
E
Thorén
Marja
M
Hellstrom
Per M
PM
D000082:Acetaminophen; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000502:physiology*; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger; D006963:Hyperphagia / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011218:Prader-Willi Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012527:Satiation
D000082:Acetaminophen