BACKGROUND/AIMS: Association between symptoms, quality of life and gastric emptying in dyspepsia is inconsistent in the literature. The aim of our study is to investigate if gastric emptying is associated with specific symptoms and quality of life in dyspeptic patients. METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively gastric emptying measured by ¹³C-labelled octanoate breath testing for more than 6 hours in 198 consecutive patients with dyspepsia complaints. Gastrointestinal symptoms were assessed using a 5-points Likert scale and by a symptomatic composite score, whereas quality of life was measured by the GIQLI. RESULTS: In our cohort, 90 patients (45%) had a delayed gastric emptying (half emptying time above 166 minutes when assessed over 6–8 hours). There was no difference in symptoms or quality of life between patients with or without delayed gastric emptying. However, patients with severely delayed gastric emptying (half emptying time above 200 minutes) had increased postprandial fullness (P = 0.012), abdominal pain (P = 0.026), bloating (P = 0.044), early satiety (P = 0.018), symptomatic composite score (P = 0.005), and a lower quality of life (P = 0.018). This association was no longer observed if the calculation of gastric emptying was limited to the first 4-hour samples. CONCLUSIONS: There is no association between symptoms, quality of life and gastric emptying in an overall dyspeptic population. However, there is an association between symptoms, quality of life of delayed gastric emptying in the subgroup of patients with severely delayed gastric emptying. An 8-hour measurement of gastric emptying should be recommended.
Abdominal Pain ; Breath Tests ; Cohort Studies ; Dyspepsia ; Gastric Emptying ; Gastroparesis ; Humans ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies

Background/Aims: The aim of our study is to evaluate the association between meals and perceived gastrointestinal symptoms in real life in a French cohort of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional observational study included patients from the French association (association des patients souffrant du syndrome de l’intestin irritable [APSSII]) of IBS. Data were collected on demographics, IBS subtype, dietary food, and meal-induced gastrointestinal symptoms from patient filled self-questionnaires or questionnaires. Results: Eighty-four patients with IBS were included; 82.3% female with a mean age of 46.9 ± 15.7 years. Each transit pattern subtype represented one-third of the population. Forty-five percent of patients had severe IBS according to IBS-Severity Scoring System; mean IBS Quality of Life score was 53.9 ± 18.3. Patients believed that food could trigger or exacerbate gastrointestinal symptoms in 73.3% and 93.4%, respectively. Eighty-nine percent had already tried diets, mostly lactose free diet and low fermentable, oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols diet in 61.3% and 53.6% of cases. Thirty-nine percent of meals induced gastrointestinal symptoms. Meal-induced gastrointestinal symptoms were associated with severity and subtype but not with quality of life. Conclusions This study has confirmed the important link between gastrointestinal symptoms and food. Gastrointestinal symptoms induced by meals are frequent and associated with severity and IBS-diarrhea subtype. Our study also underlines patients’ interest in food and diet.More knowledge is needed on food that triggers IBS symptoms but also on diet conditions in order to improve this condition.

Background/Aims: The aim of our study is to evaluate the association between meals and perceived gastrointestinal symptoms in real life in a French cohort of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional observational study included patients from the French association (association des patients souffrant du syndrome de l’intestin irritable [APSSII]) of IBS. Data were collected on demographics, IBS subtype, dietary food, and meal-induced gastrointestinal symptoms from patient filled self-questionnaires or questionnaires. Results: Eighty-four patients with IBS were included; 82.3% female with a mean age of 46.9 ± 15.7 years. Each transit pattern subtype represented one-third of the population. Forty-five percent of patients had severe IBS according to IBS-Severity Scoring System; mean IBS Quality of Life score was 53.9 ± 18.3. Patients believed that food could trigger or exacerbate gastrointestinal symptoms in 73.3% and 93.4%, respectively. Eighty-nine percent had already tried diets, mostly lactose free diet and low fermentable, oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols diet in 61.3% and 53.6% of cases. Thirty-nine percent of meals induced gastrointestinal symptoms. Meal-induced gastrointestinal symptoms were associated with severity and subtype but not with quality of life. Conclusions This study has confirmed the important link between gastrointestinal symptoms and food. Gastrointestinal symptoms induced by meals are frequent and associated with severity and IBS-diarrhea subtype. Our study also underlines patients’ interest in food and diet.More knowledge is needed on food that triggers IBS symptoms but also on diet conditions in order to improve this condition.