Relationships among intragastric meal distribution during gastric emptying scintigraphy, water consumption during water load satiety testing, and symptoms of gastroparesis.

Gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES) measures total gastric retention after a solid meal and can assess intragastric meal distribution (IMD). Water load satiety test (WLST) measures gastric capacity. Both IMD immediately after meal ingestion [ratio of proximal gastric counts after meal ingestion to total gastric counts at time 0 (IMD0)] and WLST (volume of water ingested over 5 min) are indirect measures of gastric accommodation. In this study, IMD0 and WLST were compared with each other and to symptoms of gastroparesis to gauge their clinical utility for assessing patients with symptoms of gastroparesis. Patients with symptoms of gastroparesis underwent GES to obtain gastric retention and IMD0, WLST, and filled out patient assessment of upper GI symptoms. A total of 234 patients with symptoms of gastroparesis were assessed (86 patients with diabetes, 130 idiopathic, 18 postfundoplication) and 175 (75%) delayed gastric emptying. Low IMD0 <0.568 suggesting initial rapid transit to the distal stomach was present in 8% and correlated with lower gastric retention, less heartburn, and lower volumes consumed during WLST. Low WLST volume (<238 mL) was present in 20% and associated with increased severity of early satiety, postprandial fullness, loss of appetite, and nausea. Low IMD0 is associated with less gastric retention and less heartburn. Volume of water consumed during WLST, while associated with IMD0, has associations with early satiety, postprandial fullness, loss of appetite, and nausea. Thus, IMD0 and WLST appear to overlap somewhat in their assessment of gastric physiology in adults with symptoms of gastroparesis but relate to different dyspeptic symptoms.NEW & NOTEWORTHY IMD0 and WLST were assessed for their clinical utility in assessing patients with symptoms of gastroparesis. Low IMD0 is associated with less gastric retention and less heartburn. Volume of water consumed during WLST, while associated with IMD0, has associations with early satiety, postprandial fullness, loss of appetite, and nausea. IMD0 and WLST appear to overlap somewhat in their assessment of gastric physiology in adults with symptoms of gastroparesis but relate to different dyspeptic symptoms.

Role of endoscopic functional luminal imaging probe in predicting the outcome of gastric peroral endoscopic pyloromyotomy (with video).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Endoluminal functional luminal imaging probe (EndoFLIP) is an imaging tool that measures the physiologic characteristics of GI sphincters. In this study, we used EndoFLIP to evaluate the association between the pyloric physiologic measurements and the clinical outcomes of gastric peroral endoscopic myotomy (G-POEM) in patients with refractory gastroparesis. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients from 5 centers who underwent G-POEM for management of refractory gastroparesis and had EndoFLIP measurements were evaluated. Cross-sectional area (CSA), balloon pressure, and the distensibility index (DI) of the pylorus were evaluated by EndoFLIP at 40 mL and 50 mL balloon fills before and after G-POEM. One-year clinical success and change in gastric emptying study 3 months after the G-POEM procedure were compared with the EndoFLIP measurements. RESULTS: Clinical success was achieved in 26 (70%) patients. Post-G-POEM CSA and DI were significantly higher in the clinical success group with both 40-mL volume distension (CSA: 89.9 ± 64.8 vs 172.5 ± 71.9 mm2, P =.003; DI: 5.8 ± 4.4 vs 8.8 ± 6.1 mm2/mm Hg, P =.043) and 50-mL volume distention (CSA: 140.1 ± 89.9 vs 237.5 ± 80.3 mm2, P =.003; DI: 5.6 ± 3.3 vs 9.9 ± 6.6 mm2/mm Hg, P =.049). CSA using 40-mL volume distention with an area under the curve of 0.83 yielded a specificity of 91% and a sensitivity of 71% at a cutoff point of 154 mm2. CONCLUSIONS: Post-G-POEM CSA of the pylorus is associated with clinical success and improvement in a gastric emptying scan after G-POEM. EndoFLIP measurements of the pylorus have the potential to be used as a tool to predict the clinical outcome of G-POEM.

Buspirone for early satiety and symptoms of gastroparesis: A multi-centre, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-masked trial (BESST).

BACKGROUND: Patients with gastroparesis and related disorders have symptoms including early satiety, postprandial fullness and bloating. Buspirone, a 5-HT1 receptor agonist, may improve fundic accommodation. AIM: To determine if buspirone treatment improves early satiety and postprandial fullness in patients with symptoms of gastroparesis. METHODS: This 4-week multi-centre clinical trial randomised patients with symptoms of gastroparesis and moderate-to-severe symptoms of fullness (Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index [GCSI] early satiety/postprandial fullness subscore [ES/PPF]) to buspirone (10 mg orally) or placebo three times per day. The primary outcome was a change in the ES/PPF from baseline to 4 weeks. The primary analysis was per protocol intention-to-treat ANCOVA of between-group baseline vs. 4-week differences (DoD) in ES/PPF adjusted for baseline ES/PPF. Results are reported using both nominal and Bonferroni (BF) p values. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Ninety-six patients (47 buspirone, 49 placeboes; 92% female, 50% delayed gastric emptying, 39% diabetic) were enrolled. There was no between-groups difference in the 4-week ES/PPF primary outcome: -1.16 ± 1.25 (SD) on buspirone vs -1.03 ± 1.29 (SD) on placebo (mean DoD: -0.11 [95% CI: -0.68, 0.45]; p = 0.69). Buspirone performed better than placebo in patients with severe-to-very severe bloating at baseline compared to patients with none to moderate: (ES/PPF DoD = -0.65 vs. 1.58, pTX*GROUP  = 0.003; pBF  = 0.07). Among individual GCSI symptoms, only bloating appeared to improve with buspirone vs. placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with moderate-to-severe early satiety/postprandial fullness and other symptoms of gastroparesis did not benefit from buspirone treatment to improve the ES/PPF primary outcome compared with placebo. There was a suggestion of the benefit of buspirone in patients with more severe bloating. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT0358714285.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients with gastroparesis using enteral and/or exclusive parenteral nutrition.

BACKGROUND: Patients with gastroparesis (Gp) may need enteral nutrition (EN) or exclusive parenteral nutrition (PN). Among patients with Gp, we aimed to (1) identify the frequency of EN and exclusive PN use and (2) explore characteristics of patients using EN and/or exclusive PN compared with those using oral nutrition (ON), including changes over 48 weeks. METHODS: Patients with Gp underwent history and physical examination, gastric emptying scintigraphy, water load satiety testing (WLST), and questionnaires assessing gastrointestinal symptoms and quality of life (QOL). Patients were observed 48 weeks. RESULTS: Of 971 patients with Gp (idiopathic, 579; diabetic, 336; post-Nissen fundoplication, 51), 939 (96.7%) were using ON only, 14 (1.4%) using exclusive PN, and 18 (1.9%) using EN. Compared with patients receiving ON, patients receiving exclusive PN and/or EN were younger, had lower body mass index, and had greater symptom severity. Patients receiving exclusive PN and/or EN had lower physical QOL but not mental QOL or Gp-related QOL scores. Patients receiving exclusive PN and/or EN ingested less water during WLST but did not have worse gastric emptying. Of those who had been receiving exclusive PN and/or EN, 50% and 25%, respectively, resumed ON at 48-week follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This study describes patients with Gp requiring exclusive PN and/or EN for nutrition support, who represent a small (3.3%) but important subset of patients with Gp. Unique clinical and physiological parameters are associated with this subset and provide insight into the use of nutrition support in Gp.

Effect of Oral CNSA-001 (sepiapterin, PTC923) on gastric accommodation in women with diabetic gastroparesis: A randomized, placebo-controlled, Phase 2 trial.

AIMS: Diabetic gastroparesis may be associated with impaired nitric oxide metabolism and reduced tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) synthesis. Oral treatment with CNSA-001 (sepiapterin, currently known as PTC923) increased BH4 levels in humans in a previous study. This Phase 2 study evaluated CNSA-001 in women with diabetic gastroparesis. METHODS: Non-pregnant diabetic women with moderate/severe symptomatic gastroparesis, delayed gastric emptying, and impaired gastric accommodation (nutrient satiety testing) were randomized to 10mg/kg BID CNSA-001 or matching placebo for 14days. The primary endpoint was change in gastric accommodation (maximal tolerated liquid meal volume) at 14- and 28-days' follow-up. RESULTS: Gastric accommodation improved in CNSA-001-treated vs. placebo-treated subjects at 28days (least squares mean [LSM] difference: 98 [95% CI 36 to 161], p=0.0042). Subjects' ratings of bloating, fullness, nausea, and pain were lower vs. baseline in the CNSA-001 group at 14 and 28days, though these improvements were not observed consistently in placebo-treated subjects. There were no significant group differences in upper gastrointestinal symptom scores, and in gastric emptying breath test parameters. CNSA-001 was well tolerated, with no withdrawals for adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: CNSA-001 improved gastric accommodation in women with diabetic gastroparesis. Further evaluation of CNSA-001 in gastroparesis is warranted; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03712124.

Oropharyngeal dysphagia.

Oropharyngeal dysphagia is not a single disease but a symptom complex that is recognized by difficulty in transfer of a food bolus from mouth to esophagus or by signs and symptoms of aspiration pneumonia or nasal regurgitation. Its etiologies are legion, with the most common result of underlying neuromuscular disease, including cerebrovascular accidents, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and muscular dystrophy. There are two methods of treatment for oropharyngeal dysphagia; one is specific and directed at the underlying disease and the other is general (supportive) and designed to preserve oral intake for nutrition while preventing aspiration pneumonia. Following a general discussion of the etiology and clinical presentation of orophyarngeal dysphagia, a description of the methods for supportive care is presented as well as the approach to the treatment of cricopharyngeal dysfunction and Zenker's diverticulum.