Abstract
Aim: Bloating, nausea, epigastric discomfort, belching and postprandial fullness are common gastrointestinal symptoms.
Patients:18 anorexic girls and 2 anorexic boys (mean age:15.65 y), BMI:mean:15.53 ± kg/m2) weight loss (mean:22.92 (range 7.9-49.5%) participated in the study. All patients fulfilled the Diagnostic and Statistical manual of mental disorders,4th edition. The ethical committee have given written approval of the study.
Methods: The testmeal consisted of 50µL 13C octanoic acid was mixed with 17 g flour,7 g sugar,1 egg white,1 frozen egg yolk and 40 ml half-skimmed milk to prepare a pancake, baked with 5 g. margarine. Sugar (5g) was added.for consumption. This testmeal accounted for 230 cal (12,25 g proteins / 27 g carbohydrates/ 8,8 g fat). After fasting for at least 6 hr the patient ingested the meal in sitting position. Breath samples were collected in vacutainers:2 basal breath samples prior to thetestmeal, followed by one sample, every 15 minutes during 4 hrs. Breath analysis was performed using Isotope Rate Mass Spectrometry (IRMS). Gastric emptying time (T1/2) was calculated (min) and GE curves were generated.
Results were compared to previously obtained values for GE of the similar solid testmeal in age matched healthy adolescent girls (M. Vandendriessche)13 patients had a T1/2 exceeding P95 and were classified as having a stronglydelayed gastric emptying, in one patient, T1/2 exceeded P75 which was classified asdelayed whereas 6 patients have a normal gastric emtying.
In conclusion the13C octanoic acid GE studies with a solid test meal demonstrate delayed gastric emptying in AN adolescents and is the least invasive method to reliably assess gastric emptying.
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Docx, M., Simons, A., Staelens, S. et al. 314 Gastric Emptying in Anorexic Adolescents Measured with the 13C Octanoic Acid Breath Test. Pediatr Res 68 (Suppl 1), 162 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-00314
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-201011001-00314