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.

Trends in Gastroparesis Management: A United States Population-based Study From 2010 to 2020.

BACKGROUND: There is little consensus on the medical management of gastroparesis, a disorder characterized by delayed gastric emptying with symptoms of early satiety, nausea, vomiting, and upper abdominal pain. GOALS: We utilized population-level data to: (1) describe the prevalence of different pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapies in patients with gastroparesis; and (2) trend the prevalence of these therapies from 2010 to 2020. STUDY: More than 59 million unique medical records across 26 US-based major health care systems were surveyed using the Explorys platform to identify a cohort of adults with gastroparesis who completed both a gastric emptying study and upper endoscopy or upper gastrointestinal tract imaging. Prevalence of antiemetic, prokinetic, neuromodulator prescriptions, and surgical therapies for gastroparesis were searched within this cohort and trended annually from 2010 to 2020. RESULTS: Antiemetics (72% of patients), prokinetics (47%), and neuromodulators (75% of patients, 44% of patients without a concomitant psychiatric or diabetic peripheral neuropathy diagnosis) were all commonly used in the treatment of patients with gastroparesis. From 2010 to 2020, there was an increase in the prevalence of antiemetic and neuromodulator prescriptions (36.4% to 57.6%, P <0.001 and 47.0% to 66.9%, P <0.001, respectively), whereas the prevalence of prokinetics remained relatively constant (31.8% to 31.6%, P =0.52). Procedural and surgical treatments were used in 5% of gastroparesis patients. CONCLUSIONS: Treatments for gastroparesis have changed over the last decade: antiemetic and neuromodulator use has increased whereas prokinetic use has remained constant. This practice pattern may reflect the growing number and availability of antiemetics and neuromodulators and the small number and known side effects of prokinetics.

Esophageal Inlet Patch: Association with Barrett's Esophagus.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal inlet patch (IP) with heterotopic gastric mucosa is an incidental finding on esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Although IP is thought to be embryologic in nature, IP has been associated with Barrett's esophagus (BE). AIMS: The aim of this study was to compare prevalence, symptoms, demographic factors, and esophageal testing in patients with IP and BE. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed endoscopic findings of EGDs, high-resolution esophageal manometry and esophageal pH impedance studies from January 2010 to January 2021 at a single academic medical center. Patients were grouped by presence or absence of IP and BE. RESULTS: Of 27,498 patients evaluated, 1.3% had endoscopic evidence of IP and 4.9% had BE. Of 362 patients with IP, 17.1% had BE; of 1356 patients with BE, 4.6% had IP. Both IP and BE patients presented primarily with heartburn and/or regurgitation. Patients with BE and/or IP were older and had higher BMI than those without (p < 0.001). Mean lower esophageal sphincter pressure was lower and mean acid exposure time (AET) was higher in patients with IP and/or BE than those without (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study reports an IP prevalence of 1.3%, with 17.1% patients having concomitant BE; and a BE prevalence of 4.9%, with 4.6% also having IP. Patients with IP alone presented with similar symptoms to patients with concomitant BE. Esophageal function testing showed that patients with either IP or BE had decreased LES pressures and increased esophageal AET. During endoscopy, patients found to have one of these findings should be carefully examined for the other.

Postprandial symptoms in patients with symptoms of gastroparesis: roles of gastric emptying and accommodation.

Patients often are evaluated for gastroparesis because of symptoms occurring with meals. Gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES) is used for gastroparesis diagnosis, although results are not well correlated with gastroparesis symptoms. The aim of this study is to assess relationships between gastroparesis symptoms, gastric emptying (GE), and gastric accommodation (GA). Patients with symptoms of gastroparesis completed the Patient Assessment of Upper GI Symptoms (PAGI-SYM) and recorded symptoms during GES and water load satiety test (WLST), an indirect assessment for GA. A total of 109 patients with gastroparesis symptoms were assessed. Symptom severity increased after GES meal for stomach fullness, belching, nausea, abdominal burning, and abdominal pain. There was no difference in symptoms after meal between patients with delayed (n = 66) and normal (n = 42) GE. Diabetic patients (n = 26) had greater gastric retention than idiopathic patients (n = 78), but idiopathic patients had greater postprandial nausea, stomach fullness, and abdominal pain. Water consumed during WLST averaged 421 ± 245 mL. Idiopathic patients had greater nausea scores during WLST than diabetic patients. In comparison to those with normal water consumption (≥238 mL; n = 80), patients with impaired water ingestion (<238 mL; n = 26) had increased stomach fullness, early satiety, postprandial fullness, and loss of appetite on PAGI-SYM. Patients with delayed and normal GE had similar symptom profiles during GES and WLST. Idiopathic patients had less gastric retention but more symptoms after GES meal and after WLST compared with diabetic patients. Patients with impaired water consumption during WLST had increased symptoms by PAGI-SYM. These data suggest that impaired GA, rather than GE, may be important in explaining postprandial symptoms in patients with symptoms of gastroparesis.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Patients with delayed and normal gastric emptying (GE) had similar symptom profiles during gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES). Idiopathic patients with symptoms of gastroparesis had less gastric retention by GES; but more symptoms after GES meal and after water load satiety test (WLST) compared with diabetic patients. In patients with symptoms of gastroparesis, symptoms after WLST increased with decreasing water consumption. Early satiety and loss of appetite were associated with decreased water consumption during WLST. Thus, impaired accommodation and perhaps visceral hypersensitivity are important in explaining postprandial symptoms in gastroparesis.

Demographics of Gastroparesis Hospitalizations Through the Age Spectrum Using National Inpatient Databases: Children Compared With Adults.

GOAL: The goal of this study was to characterize the etiology and demographics of hospitalized patients with gastroparesis (Gp) across different age groups. BACKGROUND: Gp is a chronic condition associated with increasing hospitalizations and costs. The gender and etiology distributions of Gp throughout the age spectrum are unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) and Kid's Inpatient Database (KID) were used to identify patients using International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes for Gp as a primary diagnosis or as secondary diagnosis with the first diagnosis a GI-related symptom. RESULTS: There were a total of 15,790 admissions (75.6% female, age: 46.2±18.0 y). After age 6, female admissions percentage increased: ages 2 to 5: 45.0%, ages 6 to 12: 62.8%, ages 13 to 20: 76.7% ( P <0.001), with a distinct increase at age 12. Diabetic gastroparesis (DG) was seen in 3995 (25.3%) of all Gp admissions but in only 1.1% of children under the age of 20. Overall, 68% of DG admissions were female, but a higher percentage of DG was seen among male admissions for Gp compared with female admissions for Gp between ages 21 and 64 (38.3% vs. 23%, P <0.001). The most common races were white (63.2%), African American (20.6%), and Hispanic (8.7%). DG was more often present in Native American (61.9%), Hispanic (39.1%), and African American (38.2%) admissions than in white patients (17.8%; P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study using large inpatient databases shows that the gender, race, and etiology of Gp admissions is age-dependent. The female predominance of Gp admissions is more prominent from the second decade of life. DG, although uncommon in children, is seen more often in nonwhite admissions.

Characterizing reflux on high resolution esophageal manometry with impedance.

BACKGROUND: In some patients, reflux at esophagogastric junction (EGJ) can be seen on the impedance portion of the high-resolution esophageal manometry with impedance (HREMI) studies. How this correlates with reflux on conventional esophageal reflux monitoring studies is unknown. We aimed to: (1) determine prevalence of reflux seen on HREMI, (2) correlate reflux during HREMI with reflux on esophageal reflux monitoring studies. METHODS: Patients undergoing HREMI and ambulatory reflux monitoring (7/2019 to 2/2020) were studied. Healthy volunteers (HVs) underwent HREMI. KEY RESULTS: Sixteen HVs underwent HREMI (no reflux on HREMI = 13, reflux on 1 swallow on HREMI = 3). Of 229 patients (mean age 56.4 ± 1.0, 68.1% females) undergoing HREMI, 47 (20.5%) had pathologic reflux at EGJ on HREMI (reflux on ≥ 2 swallows). The patients with reflux on HREMI had more frequent reflux events on multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH (MII-pH) than patients without reflux on HREMI (63.5 ± 7.1 vs 42.1 ± 2.3, p = 0.01). On ambulatory pH monitoring, 113 (49.3%) had GERD and 42 (18.3%) borderline results. Patients with reflux on HREMI more commonly had GERD (56.3% vs 48.6%) and borderline results (28.1% vs 18.3%) than patients without reflux on HREMI (p = 0.01). Reflux on ≥ 2 swallows on HREMI had a specificity of 83.6% and sensitivity of 24.8% for GERD. Reflux on ≥ 5 swallows on HREMI improved specificity to 91.4%, with sensitivity of 14.2% for GERD. CONCLUSIONS AND INFERENCES: Amongst patients undergoing HREMI, 20.5% had pathologic reflux at EGJ on HREMI. Patients with reflux on HREMI more frequently had GERD on ambulatory pH monitoring. Reflux on HREMI had good specificity but low sensitivity for GERD.

Hiatal hernias associated with acid reflux: size larger than 2 cm matters.

Hiatal hernia (HH) is associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD); the effect of HH size on GERD is not well defined. To evaluate the relationship between HH size as measured by high-resolution esophageal manometry (HREM) and reflux parameters on esophageal pH-impedance testing (multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH [MII-pH]) to define HH sizes associated with GERD. HREM and MII-pH studies were reviewed. The relationship of HH size to other parameters was analyzed with multivariable logistic regression. Correlation coefficients were determined using Spearman and Pearson's tests. A total of 897 patients underwent both HREM and MII-pH. There were 529 (58.9%) patients with HH size <1 cm, 203 (22.6%) with HH 1.0-1.9 cm, and 165 (18.4%) with HH ≥2 cm. Larger HH size was associated with lower esophageal sphincter (LES) basal and residual pressures (r = -0.43 and r = -0.48, p < 0.01), higher acid exposure time (AET) (r = 0.17, p < 0.01), number of acidic refluxes (r = 0.16, p < 0.05), and number of reflux episodes detected by impedance (total r = 0.22, p < 0.01). HH ≥ 2 cm compared with smaller size HH was associated with higher proximal AET%, acidic refluxes, and reflux episodes detected by impedance (p < 0.05). Increasing HH size was associated with older age, higher AET, and number of reflux episodes. HH ≥2 cm was associated with multiple worsened GERD parameters. Low LES pressure was weakly associated with an increase in the number of reflux episodes. Larger HHs, particularly >2 cm, are associated with more severe GERD parameters.

Management of the patient with esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (EGJOO), defined as elevated integrated residual pressure (IRP) with preservation of esophageal peristalsis, is a common finding on high-resolution esophageal manometry. RECENT FINDINGS: The recent Chicago classification version 4.0 proposes changes to the criteria for diagnosing EGJOO, making this diagnosis more restrictive to now include elevated IRP in both supine and upright positions (with preservation of esophageal peristalsis), presence of obstructive symptoms, and confirmatory tests for EGJOO, such as timed barium esophagram with barium tablet or functional lumen imaging probe. SUMMARY: Once the diagnosis of EGJOO is established, secondary causes need to be ruled out, especially the use of opioid medications. Upper endoscopy is needed for evaluation of EGJOO patients, though cross-sectional imaging is usually not necessary. Many patients improve without intervention; thus, expectant management is recommended for patients with mild or atypical symptoms. There seems to be a limited role for medical treatment. Botox injection into the lower esophageal sphincter is often used to see if the patient improves before committing to more definitive treatments, such as pneumatic dilation, peroral endoscopic myotomy, or Heller myotomy.

EndoFLIP and Pyloric Dilation for Gastroparesis Symptoms Refractory to Pyloromyotomy/Pyloroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Gastroparesis patients may undergo pyloromyotomy/pyloroplasty for chronic refractory symptoms. However, some patients have persistent symptoms. It is unknown if balloon dilation may improve their symptoms. AIMS: We aimed to (1) assess if pyloric through-the-scope (TTS) balloon dilation results in symptom improvement in gastroparesis patients with suboptimal response to pyloromyotomy/pyloroplasty and (2) determine endoscopic functional luminal imaging probe (EndoFLIP) characteristics of these patients before dilation. METHODS: Patients with severe gastroparesis refractory to pyloromyotomy/pyloroplasty seen from 2/2019 to 3/2020 underwent pyloric TTS dilation after assessing the pyloric characteristics using EndoFLIP. Patients completed Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI) pre-procedurally, and GCSI and Clinical Patient Grading Assessment Scale (CPGAS) on follow-ups. RESULTS: Thirteen (ten females) patients (mean age 45.2 ± 5.1 years) with severe gastroparesis symptoms (mean GCSI total score 3.4 ± 0.3) after pyloromyotomy/pyloroplasty underwent pyloric TTS dilation. Overall, there was improvement in symptoms at 1-month follow-up (mean GCSI total score 3.0 ± 0.4, mean CPGAS score 1.6 ± 0.5, p < 0.05 for both), with five (38%) patients reporting symptoms somewhat/moderately better. The patients with symptom improvement had lower pre-dilation pyloric EndoFLIP distensibility at 30 ml, 40 ml, and 50 ml than patients with little/no improvement (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In gastroparesis patients with refractory symptoms after pyloromyotomy/pyloroplasty, pyloric TTS dilation improved symptoms in about a third of the patients. Patients with symptom improvement had lower pre-dilation pyloric distensibility on EndoFLIP suggesting incomplete myotomy, pyloric muscle regeneration, or pyloric stricture. Pyloric EndoFLIP followed by TTS dilation seems to be a promising treatment for some patients with gastroparesis symptoms refractory to pyloromyotomy/pyloroplasty.

Rheumatologic disorders in patients undergoing esophageal manometry: prevalence, symptom characteristics, and manometric findings.

Rheumatologic disorders (RDs) can have gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations. Systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients often have upper GI symptoms from absent esophageal contractility (AC). Upper GI symptom characteristics and high-resolution esophageal manometry with impedance (HREMI) findings of other RDs have not been well studied. We aimed to: (i) determine the prevalence of RD in patients undergoing HREMI and (ii) assess the symptom characteristics and manometric findings of these patients. Patients undergoing HREMI (July 2018 to March 2020) rated their GI symptoms' severity. Healthy volunteers (HVs) also underwent HREMI. Of the 1,003 patients, 90 (9%) had RD (mean age: 55.3 ± 1.4 years, 73.3% females), most commonly SSc (n = 27), rheumatoid arthritis (RA, n = 20), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, n = 11). The most severe upper GI symptoms in patients with RD were heartburn, regurgitation, nausea, and dysphagia, with no significant differences in their severities between SSc, RA, and SLE. RD patients had higher upper esophageal sphincter (UES) pressures, lower distal contractile integral (DCI), lower bolus clearance, and more frequent hiatal hernia (HH) on HREMI (all P < 0.05) than HVs. Over half (61.1%) of patients with RD had esophageal motility disorders, most commonly AC (n = 25), ineffective esophageal motility (IEM; n = 18), and esophagogastric junction (EGJ) obstructive disorders (n = 11). Among patients undergoing HREMI, 9% had RD. Upper GI symptom severities did not distinguish different RDs. Patients with RD had higher UES pressures, weaker DCI, lower bolus clearance, and more frequent HH than HVs. Although AC and IEM were most common motility disorders, a considerable minority (12.2%) of our RD patients had EGJ obstructive disorders.

Impact of patient position on esophageal motility disorders using high-resolution esophageal manometry with impedance (HREMI): supine versus upright swallows.

BACKGROUND: High-resolution esophageal manometry with impedance (HREMI) performed with supine patient positioning is used to evaluate patients for esophageal dysmotility. However, most patients experience symptoms related to esophageal dysmotility when eating or drinking upright. The aims of this study are to: (1) compare HREMI metrics in supine versus upright position; and (2) determine if upright position alters motility characterization of patients. METHODS: HREMI of twelve wet swallows in supine position and five wet swallows in upright position were performed on normal subjects (NS) and consecutive patients. Chicago Classification v3.0 (CC) diagnoses were evaluated in the supine position and a modified version of the Chicago Classification system was used in the upright position using normative upright values for DCI and IRP. RESULTS: DCI decreased in NS by 414 mmHg × cm × sec (p = 0.001) and patients by 613 mmHg × cm × sec (p < 0.001). IRP decreased in NS by 6.2 mmHg (p < 0.001) and patients by 4.6 mmHg (p < 0.001). The rate of successful bolus clearance decreased in the upright position in patients by 11% (p < 0.001), but no statistically significant differences were observed in NS. 82 of 200 patients (41%) had a change in CC diagnosis in the upright position. Bolus clearance in the upright position varied in patients depending on their diagnosis in the upright position. CONCLUSIONS: Upright swallows had lower LES, IRP, DCI and UES pressures in both normal subjects and patients with decreased bolus clearance in patients. Upright positioning can alter esophageal motility patterns and enhance diagnostic yield. Thus, upright swallows supplement supine swallows to help characterize esophageal dysmotility.

Factors Associated With Hospital Admissions and Readmissions in Patients With Gastroparesis Using the Nationwide Readmission Database.

BACKGROUND: Gastroparesis can be associated with severe symptoms. Health care utilization for gastroparesis has increased in part due to an increase in hospital admissions. GOALS: To characterize patients admitted for gastroparesis-related symptoms and determine risk factors associated with 30-day readmissions. STUDY: The Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD) for the year 2014 was used to identify patients admitted to hospitals using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9 code for gastroparesis as primary diagnosis or as the secondary diagnosis with first diagnosis code of a gastroparesisrelated symptom. Logistic regression was used to determine risk factors associated with 30-day readmission. RESULTS: There were 5268 gastroparesis patients admitted with the average length of stay (LOS) of 5.4±6.6 days. Age averaged 48.9±18.1 years, 73.8% were female individuals, and 31% had diabetes. Inpatient mortality was 0.4%. The overall 30-day readmission rate was 6.2%. Longer LOS [odds ratio (OR)=1.4; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.0-1.9], younger age, drug abuse (OR=1.6; 95% CI, 1.2-2.2), and marijuana use (OR=1.7; 95% CI, 1.0-2.7) were associated with increased risk of 30-day readmission. Female gender (P=0.083), opioid use (P=0.057), and admission to larger hospital (P=0.070) showed a trend toward higher readmission rates. Older patients, and patients with hypertension and diabetes showed lower rates of readmission. CONCLUSIONS: Use of the Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD) allows better understanding of gastroparesis admissions and readmissions. Average hospital stay was 5.4 days with 0.4% mortality rate. Overall 30-day readmission rate was 6.2%. Higher LOS, drug abuse, and marijuana use increased the 30-day readmission rate. Diabetes, hypertension, and older age were associated with lower readmissions.

Botulinum Toxin A Improves Symptoms of Gastroparesis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Pyloric injections of botulinum toxin A (BoNT/A) have shown benefit in open-label studies for patients with gastroparesis but not in randomized trials. We sought to examine the effectiveness of BoNT/A injections in a prospective open-label trial of patients with gastroparesis to assess specific symptom improvements over the course of 6 months. We also wanted to determine if specific biochemical measures including creatinine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, aldolase, and C-reactive protein suggesting muscular injection could be used to predict successful response to pyloric injections of BoNT/A. METHODS: Patients with gastroparesis undergoing pyloric BoNT/A injections for the treatment of symptomatic gastroparesis were enrolled. The patients completed the Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI) at the initial encounter and at 1, 3, and 6 months. Blood samples were collected before and 1 h after BoNT/A therapy. RESULTS: We enrolled 34 patients for serum analysis of which 25 patients were available for symptom follow-up. Sixty-four percent of patients had an improvement in symptoms at 1 month. Patients with improved GCSI total score at 1 month had an improvement in most individual symptoms evaluated. For patients that improved at 1 month, this improvement often extended up to 6 months (p = 0.04). Serum measures studied did not correlate with clinical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: BoNT/A therapy to the pylorus provided symptomatic improvement at 1 month in 64% of patients. For those patients initially responding, the improvement can last out to 6 months. The biochemical markers did not serve to predict the outcome of injections.

Clinical utility of wide-area transepithelial sampling with three-dimensional computer-assisted analysis (WATS3D) in identifying Barrett's esophagus and associated neoplasia.

Sampling error during screening and surveillance endoscopy is a well-recognized problem. Wide-area transepithelial sampling with three-dimensional computer-assisted analysis (WATS3D), used adjunctively to forceps biopsy (FB), has been shown to increase the detection of Barrett's esophagus (BE) and BE-associated neoplasia. We evaluated the clinical utility of WATS3D and its impact on the management of patients with BE and dysplasia. Between 2013 and 2018, 432 consecutive patients who had a WATS3D positive and an accompanying FB negative result were identified. Physicians were contacted to determine if the WATS3D result impacted their decision to enroll patients in surveillance or increase the frequency of surveillance, recommend ablation, and/or initiate or increase the dose of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). WATS3D directly impacted the management of 97.8% of 317 BE patients; 96.2% were enrolled in surveillance and 60.2% were started on PPIs or their dose was increased. WATS3D impacted the management of 94.9% and 94.1% of the 98 low-grade dysplasia and 17 high-grade dysplasia patients, respectively. As a result of WATS3D, 33.7% of low-grade dysplasia and 70.6% of high-grade dysplasia patients underwent endoscopic therapy. More than 37% of all dysplasia patients were enrolled in a surveillance program, and nearly 30% were scheduled to be surveilled more frequently. PPIs were either initiated, or the dose was increased in more than 54% of all dysplasia patients. We demonstrate that WATS3D has high clinical utility. By prompting physicians to change their clinical management in patients with negative FB results, WATS3D, used adjunctively to FB, directly impacts patient management, and improves patient outcomes.

Vascular pressure bands on high-resolution esophageal manometry with impedance studies.

Horizontal pressure bands on high-resolution esophageal manometry with impedance (HREMI) tracings are often seen and thought to be due to cardiovascular structures compressing the esophagus. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and location of vascular pressure bands on HREMI studies and correlate these pressure bands to bolus clearance. HREMI studies in supine and upright positions from patients and normal volunteers were reviewed. Pressure bands were defined as bands of horizontal pressure greater than the 20 mmHg isobaric contour. Each swallow was reviewed with impedance to determine if bolus transit was impaired by the band. 38.6% of 251 patients and 36.4% of 11 normal controls had a pressure band present. There were a greater number of bands in supine versus upright position (patients: 130 vs. 25, P < 0.001 and controls: 6 vs. 1). Patients with pressure bands had similar demographics (age, gender, BMI) compared to those without. Average distal contractile integral of bands was greater in supine compared to upright (133 ± 201 vs. 60 ± 148 mmHg cm s, P < 0.05). Bands were commonly located clustered at 46 and 72% of esophageal length. Bolus transit was impaired by bands in 20.4% of supine and 14.0% of upright swallows. Vascular pressure bands can have a prominent appearance on HREMI studies, present in, being more prevalent and having greater pressure in the supine than the upright position. These vascular bands, when present, may impair esophageal transit.

Effect of Chronic Domperidone Use on QT Interval: A Large Single Center Study.

GOALS: The goal of this study was to determine the effect and safety of domperidone on QTc interval at the commonly prescribed doses of 30 to 80 mg daily. BACKGROUND: Domperidone is a dopamine receptor antagonist used for the treatment of gastroparesis. However, it has been associated with QT prolongation, ventricular arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death. STUDY: This study analyzed patients prescribed domperidone for treatment of gastroparesis between January 2012 and September 2017 at a single center. This study reviewed EKGs, primarily the QTc interval, taken at baseline, 2 to 6 months after initiation of domperidone, 6 to 12 months after initiation, and ≥12 months after initiation. Concurrent QTc prolonging medications were recorded for each patient. The primary endpoint was QTc prolongation >500 ms. Secondary endpoints were QTc >450 ms for males, a QTc>470 ms for females, QTc prolongation ≥20 ms above baseline, and QTc prolongation >60 ms above baseline. RESULTS: In total, 246 patients were included for analysis (age, 46.3±17.4 y; F 209). EKGs were available for all 246 patients before treatment, 170 patients at 2 to 6 months, 135 at 6 to 12 months, and 152 patients at least 1 year after domperidone initiation.Of 246 subjects, 15 patients (6.1%, 9 female) had clinically important QTc prolongation; 11 had QTc >450 ms for males or >470 ms for females; none had QTc prolongation >500 ms; 5 (2.0%) had >60 ms over baseline and 61 (24.7%) patients had QTc increase of ≥20 ms but <60 ms from baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Domperidone at the conventionally used doses to treat gastroparesis (30 to 80 mg/d) was associated with QTc prolongation in only 6% of patients with no QT interval reaching the point considered to be clinically significant. These data suggest that domperidone can be safely prescribed at doses of 30 to 80 mg daily for the treatment of gastroparesis.

Caregiver Burden in Gastroparesis and GERD: Correlation with Disease Severity, Healthcare Utilization and Work Productivity.

BACKGROUND: Caregiver burden can be significant in chronic gastrointestinal diseases. No studies have been performed to evaluate caregiver burden in gastroparesis or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). AIMS: (1) Assess the caregiver burden in gastroparesis and GERD patients and healthy volunteers (HVs); (2) correlate the caregiver burden of these patients to the severity of patients' symptoms, healthcare utilization, and work productivity of the patients and the caregivers. METHODS: Patients with gastroparesis and GERD, seen between June 2018 and November 2018, completed Patient Assessment of Gastrointestinal Symptoms, Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) and healthcare utilization questionnaires. The caregivers of these patients completed Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) and WPAI questionnaire. HVs and their potential caregivers also completed these questionnaires. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients (gastroparesis = 31, GERD = 17), 12 HVs, and their caregivers completed questionnaires. Caregivers of gastroparesis patients reported high burden on ZBI (27.7 ± 2.9), greater than the caregivers of GERD (14.9 ± 2.5) and HVs (5.5 ± 1.6, p < 0.01). Among all patients, the caregiver burden had a strong correlation with patients' Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index (GCSI) total score (rs = 0.63, p < 0.01) and moderate correlations with the number of patients' physician office visits (rs = 0.46, p < 0.01) and the number of work hours missed by caregivers due to patients' symptoms (rs = 0.36, p = 0.04). Using multivariable regression, both presence of gastroparesis and other comorbidities significantly predicted caregiver burden, F(2, 33) = 15.94, p < 0.0001, R2 = 0.491. CONCLUSIONS: Caregivers of gastroparesis patients have high caregiver burden that strongly correlates with patients' GCSI total score. Interventions to reduce symptom severity of Gp patients may reduce the caregiver burden.

Multiple Rapid Swallows (MRS) Complements Single-Swallow (SS) Analysis for High-Resolution Esophageal Manometry (HREM).

BACKGROUND: Multiple rapid swallows (MRS) during HREM assess post-deglutitive inhibition, LES relaxation, and subsequent esophageal contraction. AIMS: (1) To determine the relationship between MRS and single-swallow (SS) responses and (2) to determine if MRS provides information for symptomatic patients. METHODS: Healthy volunteers (HVs) and patients underwent HREM [30-s landmark, ten 5-mL SS, MRS (5 consecutive 2-mL swallows every 2-3 s)] and were analyzed with ManoView software version 3 with CC version 3.0. RESULTS: In 20 HVs, MRS response consisted of: (1) reduction in GEJ pressure; (2) absence of esophageal contractile activity during MRS; and (3) post-MRS peristaltic contraction greater than SS contractions. In 20 HVs and 403 patients, MRS IRP correlated with SS IRP (r = 0.65; p < 0.0001) and post-MRS contraction DCI correlated with SS DCI (r = 0.76; p < 0.0001). Abnormally elevated MRS IRP was seen in 68% type 2 achalasia, 50% type 3 achalasia, 47% EGJOO, and 9% jackhammer. Increased MRS DCI was seen in 53% type 2 achalasia, 92% type 3 achalasia, 10% EGJOO, 22% jackhammer, and 18% DES. Increased DCI post-MRS was seen in 38% patients with jackhammer, 8% type 3 achalasia, 12% EGJOO, and 9% DES. 14 out of 143 (10%) patients with normal or indeterminate results on SS analysis had at least one abnormality on MRS. CONCLUSIONS: MRS IRP correlated with SS IRP, and post-MRS DCI correlated with SS DCI. Patients with defined CC disorders have abnormalities on MRS. There were MRS abnormalities in some patients with normal SS studies, most notably suggesting impaired LES relaxation and/or spastic esophageal motility. MRS may complement the baseline SS study analysis.

Gastric Electric Stimulation for Refractory Gastroparesis.

OBJECTIVE: To outline the use and utility of gastric electric stimulation (GES) as a therapeutic intervention for gastroparesis. METHODS: Review of the literature. RESULTS: Gastroparesis is characterized by delayed gastric emptying, with symptoms of nausea, vomiting, early satiety, postprandial fullness, and abdominal pain. Some patients with gastroparesis do not respond to medical intervention, and for these patients surgical intervention may be warranted. GES utilizes high-frequency gastric neurostimulation to facilitate gastric emptying and reduce symptoms of gastroparesis. It is indicated for patients with idiopathic and diabetic gastroparesis who have nausea and vomiting as their primary symptoms and who have not responded to medical therapy. GES has also been used in postsurgical and pediatric gastroparesis patients. Optimizing the outcome of this surgical treatment through proper patient selection and meticulous surgical technique is essential as there are inherent risks to the procedure. Nonblinded studies of GES for medically refractory gastroparesis have demonstrated therapeutic symptomatic benefit, whereas randomized controlled trials have not. New interventions such as pyloromyotomy and pyloroplasty are reasonable alternatives or addendums to GES. CONCLUSION: GES may be considered among the therapies available for treating patients with refractory symptoms of gastroparesis. More studies, specifically those comparing GES, pyloromyotomy, GES combined with pyloromyotomy, and placebo, are needed to help guide therapy selection for refractory gastroparesis.

Gastric Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy (G-POEM) for the Treatment of Refractory Gastroparesis: Early Experience.

BACKGROUND: Gastric per oral endoscopic myotomy (G-POEM) of the pylorus is a technique that is recently being used to treat gastroparesis. Our aim was to report our experience in performing G-POEM for refractory gastroparesis of different etiologies and determine symptom improvement. METHODS: Thirteen patients undergoing G-POEM are reported. Pre- and post-procedure gastric emptying study (GES) and PAGI-SYM for symptom severity were obtained. Patients underwent G-POEM by creating a submucosal tunnel starting in the greater curvature of the distal antrum and extending it to the beginning of the duodenal bulb, followed by a full thickness pyloromyotomy. RESULTS: All 13 gastroparesis patients successfully underwent G-POEM (one diabetic [DGp], four idiopathic [IGp], eight postsurgical [PSGp]). Postsurgical patients included 4 s/p esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, 3 s/p Nissen fundoplication, and 1 s/p esophagectomy for achalasia. There were no procedure-related side effects. Of 11 patients completing follow-up questionnaires, eight were improved subjectively (four patients reported considerably better, four patients somewhat better, one unchanged, and two worse). Individual symptom severity scores tended to improve, particularly vomiting, retching, and loss of appetite. Of six patients that had post-G-POEM GES; GES improved in four, unchanged in one, and worsened in one). CONCLUSIONS: G-POEM for treatment of refractory gastroparesis appears to be a feasible and safe technique that can be successfully performed in patients with a variety of etiologies including different types of postsurgical gastroparesis. Our initial experience suggests that the majority of patients report some improvement in symptoms, particularly symptoms of vomiting, retching, and loss of appetite. Further experience is needed to determine the efficacy and safety of G-POEM and predict those who best respond to this treatment.