Gastric sensorimotor function in patients with functional dyspepsia

Objective To investigate the aspects of gastric sensorimotor function and their inter relationships in patients with functional dyspepsia(FD). Methods A gastric barostat and single photon emission computerized tomography(SPECT) were used to study gastric sensitivity, gastric compliance, proximal gastric accommodation and gastric solid emptying respectively in 22 patients with FD and 20 healthy control subjects. Results Among the 22 patients with FD, the incidence rates of gastric hypersensitivity, impaired proximal gastric accommodation and delayed gastric emptying were 68.2%, 45.5% and 31.8% respectively. 45.5% patients with FD had more than two aspects of gastric sensorimotor dysfunction at the same time. There was no correlation among gastric hypersensitivity, impaired proximal gastric accommodation and delayed gastric emptying ( P 0.05). Conclusions Gastric hypersensitivity, impaired proximal gastric accommodation and delayed gastric emptying may be important but independent pathophysiological factors of FD. Different pathophysiological factors can coexist in one patient with FD.