Clinical features of idiopathic gastroparesis vary with sex, body mass, symptom onset, delay in gastric emptying, and gastroparesis severity.
OBJECTIVE
Idiopathic gastroparesis (IG) is a common but poorly understood condition with significant morbidity. We studied characteristics of patients with IG enrolled in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Gastroparesis Clinical Research Consortium Registry.


METHODS
Data from medical histories, symptom questionnaires, and 4-hour gastric emptying scintigraphy studies were obtained from patients with IG.


RESULTS
The mean age of 243 patients with IG studied was 41 years; 88% were female, 46% were overweight, 50% had acute onset of symptoms, and 19% reported an initial infectious prodrome. Severe delay in gastric emptying (>35% retention at 4 hours) was present in 28% of patients. Predominant presenting symptoms were nausea (34%), vomiting (19%), an abdominal pain (23%). Women had more severe nausea, satiety, constipation, and overall gastroparesis symptoms. Patients who experienced acute-onset IG had worse nausea than those with insidious onset. Overweight patients had more bloating and gastric retention at 2 hours but less severe loss of appetite. Patients with severely delayed gastric emptying had worse vomiting and more severe loss of appetite and overall gastroparesis symptoms. Severe anxiety and depression were present in 36% and 18%, respectively. A total of 86% met criteria for functional dyspepsia, primarily postprandial distress syndrome.


CONCLUSIONS
IG is a disorder that primarily affects young women, beginning acutely in 50% of cases; unexpectedly, many patients are overweight. Severe delay in gastric emptying was associated with more severe symptoms of vomiting and loss of appetite. IG is a diverse syndrome that varies by sex, body mass, symptom onset, and delay in gastric emptying.
Gastroenterology Section, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, USA. henry.parkman@temple.edu
Henry P
HP
Parkman
Katherine
K
Yates
William L
WL
Hasler
Linda
L
Nguyen
Pankaj J
PJ
Pasricha
William J
WJ
Snape
Gianrico
G
Farrugia
Kenneth L
KL
Koch
Thomas L
TL
Abell
Richard W
RW
McCallum
Linda
L
Lee
Aynur
A
Unalp-Arida
James
J
Tonascia
Frank
F
Hamilton
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D003248:Constipation / Q000209:etiology; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D018589:Gastroparesis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000209:etiology; D012042:Registries; D012528:Satiety Response; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors