Electrogastrography in gastrostomy-tube-fed children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders
• Medical Device Technology

Background:

• Gastrostomy tube feeding is common in children, but some experience intolerance with symptoms like gagging and vomiting.
• Conventional treatments for gastrostomy tube feeding intolerance are not always effective.
• Feeding intolerance may indicate an underlying foregut motility disorder.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if children with gastrostomy tube feeding difficulties exhibit abnormal gastric electrical control activity.
• To assess the utility of electrogastrography (EGG) in identifying motility disorders in this population.

Main Methods:

• Cutaneous electrogastrography (EGG) was performed on 25 feeding-tolerant and 23 feeding-intolerant children under 10 years old.
• Measurements included dominant frequencies, rhythm indices, and postprandial power changes during fasting and feeding.
• Statistical analysis (Student's t test) compared differences between the tolerant and intolerant groups.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found in EGG dominant frequencies or rhythm indices between groups.
• Feeding-intolerant children demonstrated a significantly lower mean postprandial power decrease compared to the tolerant group.
• Groups were comparable in gastrostomy tube placement, antireflux surgery, neurological impairment, and feeding characteristics.

Conclusions:

• Children intolerant to gastrostomy tube feedings exhibit abnormal postprandial power changes on EGG.
• EGG dominant frequency and rhythm indices are not reliable predictors of feeding tolerance, especially in neurologically impaired children.
• Abnormal postprandial power decrease suggests a potential role for EGG in evaluating foregut motility in gastrostomy tube feeding intolerance.