Relationship between gastric dysmotility and severity of dyspeptic symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia

Abstract

Objective: To study the relationship between gastric dysmotility and severity of dyspeptic symptoms in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD). Methods: 55 FD patients and 25 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Gastric emptying and intragastric food distribution were measured by using a standardized scintigraphic examination. The parameters including half-emptying time (T 1/2 ) and antral maximal fraction (AMF) were determined to represent gastric emptying and intragastric food distribution, respectively. The upper abdominal symptoms were evaluated by Rome criteria and the associated symptoms severity score was obtained by using a standardized questionnaire prior to the scintigraphic examination. Statistical analysis was conducted by Students' t-and t'-test. The correlation between symptoms severity score and abnormal gastric motility parameters was analyzed by Pearson's correlation. Difference was considered to be significant when P 0.05), but the scores of early satiation were significantly different between the patients with normal and abnormal intragastric food distribution (P < 0.05), a positive correlation between early satiation severity score and AMF (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Delayed gastric emptying and/or abnormal intragastric distribution existed in some patients with FD. The severity of dyspeptic symptoms was not associated with the delayed gastric emptying time, but the severity of early satiation was associated with impaired intragastric food distribution.