[Gastric peristalsis and dyspepsia: value of cineradiographic analysis in men]

Gastric peristalsis has not been studied extensively in patients with dyspepsia. The aim of our study was to further characterize gastric peristalsis in such patients using a newly described fluorographic method. Thirty-two patients with dyspepsia and 18 healthy volunteers were included in our study. Four hours after a standard solid-liquid meal, the subject swallowed 250 ml of a baryum sulfate solution and (100 mm x 100 mm) fluoroscopy of the stomach was performed every 2 s during 30 s. Spot films were analyzed using a graphic table and a amateur microcomputer program. For each subject, the instant velocity, vi, and mean velocity, V, of gastric peristalsis were calculated and used to generate a time-space diagram of contractions, a velocity histogram and an index of propagation, Ip. These parameters were compared to normal values (V = 2.2 +/- 0.2 mm/s; Ip = 2.2 +/- 0.4). When compared with normal values, 3 different motility patterns appeared in dyspeptic patients with a high correlation between V and Ip (P less than 0.01): normoperistalsis (n = 8; 1.8 less than V less than 2.6 mm/s); 1.4 less than Ip less than 30); hypoperistalsis (n = 7; V less than 1.8 mm/s; Ip greater than 3.0) and hyperperistalsis (n = 7; V greater than 2.6 mm/s; Ip less than 1.4). In a 4th group (n = 5), a retroperistalsis was effect observed with Ip less than 0. For 5 other patients, Ip or V was abnormal with atypical motor activity detected on the time-space diagram.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)