Disturbed electrogastrographic functions in protein energy malnutrition patients

Abstract

Summary Background & aims This work was designed to detect changes in the gastric electrical activity in protein energy malnutrition (PEM) and correlate them to the disease severity and gastrin levels. Methods The current study was conducted on 14 non-edematous PEM and 14 edematous PEM patients in comparison to 14 clinically healthy infants and young children. Enrolled cases were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, assessment of total serum gastrin hormone and electrogastrographic (EGG) recording. Patients were reevaluated after nutritional rehabilitation. Results Initial serum gastrin was high in PEM patients compared to the controls with significant decrease after nutritional rehabilitation. Significantly higher initial power ratio of EGG was detected in patients compared to controls while the dominant frequency didn’t show any significant difference. Additionally, in the initial analysis of the EGG, 12 (42.9%) of the PEM patients were normogastric compared to bradygastria in 16 (57.1%). After nutritional rehabilitation, 22 (78.6%) of the PEM patients were normogastric and only 6 (21.4%) were still bradygastric. Conclusion PEM patients show EGG changes predominantly bradygastria which is affected by the severity of the condition and is reversible upon nutritional rehabilitation. The disturbed gastrin levels in PEM could be considered among the responsible factors.