J Neurogastroenterol Motil.  2013 Jul;19(3):355-365.

Gastric Motility Following Ingestion of a Solid Meal in a Cohort of Adult Asthmatics

• Amarasiri
• Pathmeswaran A
• de Silva A
• Dassanayake AS
• Ranasinha
• de Silva H

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Asthmatics have abnormal esophageal motility and increased prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The contribution of gastric motility is less studied. We studied gastric myoelectrical activity, gastric emptying (GE) and their association with GERD symptoms and vagal function in adult asthmatics.
METHODS
Thirty mild, stable asthmatics and 30 healthy controls underwent real-time ultrasonography and 1 hour pre- and post-prandial cutaneous electrogastrography, following a test meal (480 kcal, 60% carbohydrate, 20% protein, 20% fat and 200 mL water). The percentage of normal slow waves and arrhythmias, dominant frequency and power, frequency of antral contractions, gastric emptying rate (GER) and antral motility index (MI) was calculated. Twenty-seven asthmatics underwent gastroscopy and in all subjects GERD symptoms were assessed by a validated questionnaire. Vagal function parameters were correlated with gastric motility parameters.
RESULTS
The asthmatics (37% male; 34.8 +/- 8.4 years) and controls (50% male; 30.9 +/- 7.7 years) were comparable. None had endoscopic gastric pathological changes. Twenty asthmatics described GERD symptoms. Twenty-two (73.3%) asthmatics showed a hypervagal response. Compared to controls, asthmatics had delayed GER and lower MI, lower percentage of normal gastric slow waves, more gastric dysrythmias and failed to increase the post-prandial dominant power. There was no correlation of GE and cutaneous electrogastrography parameters with presence of GERD symptoms or with vagal function.
CONCLUSIONS
Asthmatics showed abnormal gastric myoelectrical activity, delayed GE and antral hypomotility in response to a solid meal compared to controls. There was no association with vagal function or GERD symptom status.

Keyword

Asthma; Gastric emptying; Gastroesophageal reflux

MeSH Terms

Adult
Arrhythmias, Cardiac
Asthma
Carbamates
Cohort Studies
Contracts
Eating
Gastric Emptying
Gastroesophageal Reflux
Gastroscopy
Humans
Meals
Organometallic Compounds
Prevalence
Surveys and Questionnaires
Carbamates
Organometallic Compounds