title: Comparison of gastric emptying and plasma ghrelin levels in patients with functional dyspepsia and non-erosive reflux disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The symptoms of postprandial distress syndrome (PDS) and epigastric pain syndrome (EPS), the two subtypes of functional dyspepsia (FD) under the new Rome III classification, tend to overlap with those of non-erosive reflux disease (NERD). Plasma ghrelin levels have been associated with gastric motility; however, clinical studies have yet to examine this relationship among patients with PDS, EPS or NERD. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the correlation between gastric emptying and ghrelin levels as possible candidate factors for gastric motility in these diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and fifty-one patients presenting with typical symptoms of FD (EPS, n = 36; PDS, n = 76) or NERD (n = 39), and 20 healthy volunteers were enrolled. Gastric motility was evaluated with the T(max) value as a marker of gastric emptying using the 13C-acetate breath test. We used Rome III criteria to evaluate upper abdominal symptoms, and SRQ-D scores to determine depression status. We measured both acylated and des-acylated ghrelin levels by ELISA methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Tmax value in PDS patients was significantly higher than in healthy volunteers. Acylated ghrelin levels were significantly lower in NERD and PDS patients than in healthy volunteers. Interestingly, there was significant correlation between the acylated ghrelin levels and Tmax value in PDS patients but not in EPS or NERD patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that acylated ghrelin might play an important role in the pathophysiology of PDS patients through its effect on gastric emptying.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomotaka
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shindo
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Futagami
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hiratsuka
authors.forename: Akane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horie
authors.forename: Tatsuhiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamamoto
authors.forename: Nobue
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ueki
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kusunoki
authors.forename: Kazumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyake
authors.forename: Katya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gudis
authors.forename: Taku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsukui
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwakiri
authors.forename: Choitsu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
mesh_terms: D000215:Acylation; D000328:Adult; D001944:Breath Tests; D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D054439:Ghrelin