title: Gastric motility following ingestion of a solid meal in a cohort of adult asthmatics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Asthmatics have abnormal esophageal motility and increased prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The contribution of gastric motility is less studied. We studied gastric myoelectrical activity, gastric emptying (GE) and their association with GERD symptoms and vagal function in adult asthmatics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty mild, stable asthmatics and 30 healthy controls underwent real-time ultrasonography and 1 hour pre- and post-prandial cutaneous electrogastrography, following a test meal (480 kcal, 60% carbohydrate, 20% protein, 20% fat and 200 mL water). The percentage of normal slow waves and arrhythmias, dominant frequency and power, frequency of antral contractions, gastric emptying rate (GER) and antral motility index (MI) was calculated. Twenty-seven asthmatics underwent gastroscopy and in all subjects GERD symptoms were assessed by a validated questionnaire. Vagal function parameters were correlated with gastric motility parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The asthmatics (37% male; 34.8 ± 8.4 years) and controls (50% male; 30.9 ± 7.7 years) were comparable. None had endoscopic gastric pathological changes. Twenty asthmatics described GERD symptoms. Twenty-two (73.3%) asthmatics showed a hypervagal response. Compared to controls, asthmatics had delayed GER and lower MI, lower percentage of normal gastric slow waves, more gastric dysrythmias and failed to increase the post-prandial dominant power. There was no correlation of GE and cutaneous electrogastrography parameters with presence of GERD symptoms or with vagal function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Asthmatics showed abnormal gastric myoelectrical activity, delayed GE and antral hypomotility in response to a solid meal compared to controls. There was no association with vagal function or GERD symptom status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Ragama, Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Wadu Arachchige Dharshika Lakmali
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Amarasiri
authors.forename: Arunasalam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pathmeswaran
authors.forename: Arjuna Priyadharshin
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: de Silva
authors.forename: Anuradha Supun
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Dassanayake
authors.forename: Channa Dhammika
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Ranasinha
authors.forename: Hithanadura Janaka
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: de Silva
keywords: Asthma; Gastric emptying; Gastroesophageal reflux