title: Tube feeding increases the gastric-emptying rate determined by gastroesophageal scintigraphy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine whether tube feeding affects the rate of gastric emptying determined by gastroesophageal reflux scintigraphy in pediatric patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gastroesophageal reflux scintigraphy studies of 700 pediatric patients aged 1 week to 16 years were retrospectively analyzed. From these, 350 subjects received their study meal via a feeding tube, and 350 subjects received their meal as oral feeding. Gastric-emptying rate at 60 minutes was calculated, and the results compared. Stratification analysis for age, sex, and type and volume of administered meal was also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average rate of the gastric emptying was higher in the tube feeding compared with oral feeding group (52.9% ± 17.9% vs 44.2% ± 15.1% gastric emptying at 1 hour, P < 0.01). The prevalence of fast gastric emptying, defined as greater than 50% emptying at 60 minutes, was also higher in the tube feeding group, being registered in 59.7% (209/350 cases) versus only 31.4% (110/350 cases) in the oral feeding group, P < 0.01. The difference persisted following stratification analysis for sex, age, and type and volume of ingested meal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings show that tube feeding increases the rate of gastric emptying determined by gastroesophageal reflux scintigraphy in pediatric patients. The effect proved independent on such factors as sex, age, and type or volume of ingested meal.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA.
authors.forename: Wengen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ion
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Codreanu
authors.forename: Jigang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Geming
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Sabah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Servaes
authors.forename: Hongming
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhuang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D062407:Meals; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors