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Clinical presentation, response to therapy, and outcome of gastroparesis in children

Leonel Rodriguez1, Katayun Irani, Hongyu Jiang

  • 1Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA. leonel.rodriguez@childrens.harvard.edu

Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
|January 10, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric gastroparesis is complex, with symptoms and outcomes varying by age and cause. Younger patients and those responding to promotility drugs showed better resolution rates.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders
  • Clinical Pediatrics

Background:

  • Gastroparesis in children presents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.
  • Understanding its varied clinical features and outcomes is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To define the clinical features, treatment response, and outcomes of pediatric gastroparesis.
  • To identify factors influencing symptom resolution in children with gastroparesis.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of 230 pediatric patients diagnosed with gastroparesis.
  • Analysis of demographics, gastric emptying, symptoms, and treatment responses across infant, child, and adolescent groups.

Main Results:

  • Symptoms varied by age; vomiting was more common in children, while nausea and abdominal pain predominated in adolescents.
  • Postviral gastroparesis affected 18% and mitochondrial dysfunction (MD) 8%.
  • Symptom resolution rates were 22% at 6 months, 53% at 18 months, and 61% at 36 months, with a median resolution time of 14 months. Younger age, male sex, postviral cause, shorter symptom duration, and response to promotility agents predicted better outcomes, while MD and longer symptom duration predicted poorer outcomes.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric gastroparesis is a heterogeneous condition with outcomes influenced by age, etiology, and treatment response.
  • Improved understanding of these factors can enhance diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for pediatric gastroparesis.
Abstract

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