Gastric emptying in children with gastroesophageal reflux and in healthy children.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this report is to examine whether children with gastroesophageal reflux (GER) have delayed gastric emptying compared to healthy children.


METHODS
All patients had GER verified by 24-hour pH monitoring. Gastric emptying of cow's milk was examined by radionuclide scintigraphy in 51 patients with GER and in 24 controls. Gastric emptying rate was expressed as exponential half time (T1/2).


RESULTS
Median age was 4.4 years [range 0.1-15.4] in patients and 6.1 years [range 2.5-10.0] in controls (p=.10). A wide range of gastric emptying rates was observed both in GER patients [range 16-121] and controls [range 29-94]. One GER patient (2%) had slower gastric emptying (T1/2=121 min) than the healthy child with the longest T1/2 (94 min). Mean T1/2 was 49 minutes (SD 20.1) and 46 minutes (SD 14.2) in GER patients and controls, respectively (p=.51).


CONCLUSIONS
Gastric emptying rate of milk was not significantly different between children with GER and healthy children. A wide range of gastric emptying rates was observed in both groups.
Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway; Department of Pediatric Surgery, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, 0424 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: charlotte@knatten.org.
Charlotte Kristensen
CK
Knatten
Tone Lise
TL
Avitsland
Asle W
AW
Medhus
Jan Gunnar
JG
Fjeld
Are Hugo
AH
Pripp
Ragnhild
R
Emblem
Kristin
K
Bjørnland
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000150:complications; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D050782:Esophageal pH Monitoring; D004947:Esophagus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D018662:Fundoplication; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013270:Stomach / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016683:Supine Position
Child; Fundoplication; Gastric emptying; Gastroesophageal reflux; Milk; Scinitigraphy