Gastric emptying patterns in functional dyspepsia with consideration of H. pylori infection

BACKGROUND: It remains controversial as to whether delayed gastric emptying or its severity in functional dyspepsia (FD) is associated with H. pylori infection. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of delayed gastric emptying in dyspeptic patients and to investigate its relationship to the presence of H. pylori in the stomach. METHODS: In 46 consecutive adolescent outpatients with FD, the solid and liquid gastric emptying was measured using gastric scintigraphy, and the severity of gastroparesis was scored and correlated with presence of H. pylori infection. Delayed gastric emptying was defined as having at least 6.3% residual volume at four hours.RESULTS: Gastric emptying of solids and liquids were delayed in the whole subset of dyspeptic patients (100%). Mild, moderate, and severe degrees of gastric retention were recorded in 42.1±2.3%, 36.8±5.2% and 21.1±1.6% of the dyspeptic cohort, correspondingly. Incidence of H. pylori infection was 58.8%. All cases of severe gastroparesis were observed in patients, who were H. pylori positive, and all cases of mild gastroparesis were diagnosed in H. pylori negative subjects.CONCLUSIONS: Impaired gastric accommodation is a marker of functional dyspepsia. Severe forms of gastroparesis are associated with H. pylori infection, whilst incidence of mild and moderate delay of gastric emptying is greater in H. pylori negative subjects.