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Influence of delaying gastric emptying on meal‐related symptoms in healthy subjects
Author(s) -
TACK J.,
COULIE B.,
VERBEKE K.,
JANSSENS J.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
alimentary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.308
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1365-2036
pISSN - 0269-2813
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2006.03095.x
Subject(s) - gastric emptying , medicine , gastroenterology , meal , sumatriptan , breath test , stomach , saline , helicobacter pylori , agonist , receptor
Summary Background Although delayed gastric emptying is often found in functional dyspepsia, a causal role for delayed emptying in inducing symptoms has not been demonstrated. Aim To investigate the influence of delaying gastric emptying rate in healthy volunteers on the occurrence of meal‐related symptoms. Methods Fourteen healthy subjects (six men, mean age 23 ± 1) underwent gastric emptying studies twice using the 14 C octanoic acid and 13 C glycin breath test after pre‐treatment with saline or sumatriptan 6 mg s.c. Breath samples were taken before meal and at 15‐min intervals for a period of 360 min postprandially. At each breath sampling, the subject was asked to grade the intensity (0–6) of four dyspeptic symptoms. Results Sumatriptan pre‐treatment significantly delayed solid but not liquid gastric emptying ( t 1/2 respectively 159 ± 11 vs. 112 ± 9 min, P < 0.005 and 134 ± 11 vs. 116 ± 12 min, N.S.). Sumatriptan significantly decreased the mean cumulative symptom score (21.3 ± 5.5 vs. 8.0 ± 2.6, P = 0.01), as well as scores for each individual symptom. Conclusion A moderate delay in gastric emptying in health is not associated with an increase of meal‐related symptoms. This observation argues against a causal role for delayed gastric emptying in the pathogenesis of dyspeptic symptoms.