Gastric Accommodation and Impact on Emptying of Solids in Gastroparesis.

BACKGROUND

In healthy controls, higher gastric accommodation (GA) was associated with slower gastric emptying (GE) of solids.

AIMS

In patients with gastroparesis: (1) To investigate the association between GA and GE of solids. (2) To assess the prevalence of abnormally high GA.

METHODS

An electronic medical records (EMR) review (2010-2024) was conducted on 745 adult patients with measured GA following 300 kcal Ensure using SPECT, and scintigraphy-based GE of solids (320 kcal, 30% fat, egg meal). Among these patients, 284 had gastroparesis (GE < 25% emptied at 2 h or < 75% emptied at 4 h). Spearman correlation analysis examined associations between GA volume or ratio and GE at 1, 2, and 4 h, and GE T.

RESULTS

Weak positive correlations were observed between GA volume and GE of solids % at 1 and 2 h (respectively Rs = 0.148, p = 0.0234, and Rs = 0.121, p = 0.042). In addition, there was a correlation between GA ratio and GE of solids % at 2 h (Rs = 0.143, p = 0.0160). However, there were no significant correlations of GA with GE % at 4 h or GE T. Among the 284 patients with gastroparesis, we had documented increased GA, assessed by postprandial minus preprandial gastric volume (> 640 mL), in 7.75%, and increased GA by GA ratio > 3.85 in 22.9%.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with gastroparesis, higher GA is associated with accelerated GE of solids in the first 2 h, though the effect size is small. There is no significant effect on delayed GE at 4 h or GE T.