Gastric Emptying and Meal-Related Symptoms of Dyspepsia

The etiology of meal-related dyspeptic symptoms is controversial. One hypothesis involves delayed gastric emptying, but a cause-and-effect relation has not been proven. In this randomized, blinded crossover trial, investigators in Belgium studied 14 healthy volunteers who received either subcutaneous saline or subcutaneous sumatriptan (6 mg; known to cause delayed gastric emptying) before test meals.

Gastric emptying of liquids and solids was determined using breath tests. Breath samples were taken at baseline, before each test meal, and at 15-minute intervals for 6 hours after each meal. When breath samples were taken, subjects graded each of four dyspeptic symptoms (bloating, fullness, discomfort, and nausea) on 7-point Likert scales.

Sumat…