title: Normal values and symptom correlation of a simplified oatmeal-based gastric emptying study in the Chinese population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Instant oatmeal has been proposed as a good alternative to the standardized low-fat egg white test meal for gastric emptying studies. We aim to establish normal values of oatmeal-based gastric emptying scintigraphy and test its correlation with gastroparesis symptoms in the Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study prospectively enrolled 60 healthy volunteers, 30 functional dyspepsia and 30 diabetes patients with gastroparesis symptoms. All participants were evaluated using the Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index. Each participant ingested instant oatmeal mixed with 1 mCi of (99m) Tc diethylenetriaminepentacetic acid, and serial imaging was immediately acquired for 3 h in the supine position using a left anterior oblique projection. Time-activity curves were generated and quantitative parameters were determined. Normal values were established from healthy volunteers and further applied in the symptomatic patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All participants finished the test meal and tolerated the procedure well. All gastric emptying parameters were not significantly affected by age or gender. Values above the 95th percentile of T1/2 , gastric retention at 1, 2, and 3 h (85 min, 65%, 28%, and 8%, respectively) were indicative of delayed gastric emptying. Values below the 5th percentile of gastric retention at 0.5 and 1 h (40% and 15%, respectively) were indicative of rapid gastric emptying. The lower gastric retention limit at 0.5 and 1 h were 40% and 15%, respectively. Four (13.3%) diabetes and four (13.3%) functional dyspepsia patients had delayed emptying while three diabetes patients (10%) had rapid emptying. Gastric emptying parameters correlated best with vomiting (r = 0.621) and nausea (r = 0.566) in diabetes patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We established normal values of oatmeal-based gastric emptying scintigraphy and observed good correlation with cardinal gastroparesis symptoms in the Chinese population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ping-Huei
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Yen-Wen
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yi-Chia
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Mei-Fang
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Kai-Yuan
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Tzen
authors.forename: Hsiu-Po
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jaw-Town
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Sung-Tsang
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Wei-Shiung
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ming-Shiang
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D018554:Avena; D003938:Diagnostic Techniques, Digestive System; D005260:Female; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D018589:Gastroparesis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate
keywords: Chinese; gastric emptying; gastroparesis; oatmeal; scintigraphy