Gastric Emptying of Liquids in Children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Gastroenterology
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Physiology

Background:

• Gastric emptying time (t1/2GE) is crucial for pediatric gastrointestinal health.
• Standardized methods are needed to establish normal reference values in children.
• Previous methods may lack patient acceptance or require specialized equipment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine normal values for gastric half-emptying time (t1/2GE) of liquids in healthy children.
• To validate the 13C-acetate breath test (13C-ABT) against scintigraphy for pediatric gastric emptying assessment.
• To establish reliable reference ranges for pediatric gastric emptying using a non-invasive method.

Main Methods:

• Compared technetium scintigraphy with the 13C-acetate breath test (13C-ABT) in 19 children (4-15 years) with upper GI symptoms.
• Utilized the 13C-ABT to measure gastric emptying (GE) in 133 healthy children (1-17 years).
• Assessed GE of a standardized test milk-drink.

Main Results:

• A significant correlation (r=0.604, P=0.0006) was found between t1/2GE measured by scintigraphy and 13C-ABT in symptomatic children.
• In healthy children, age, sex, weight, height, and BMI did not influence t1/2GE.
• Normal values for GE of a test milk-drink were established using the 13C-ABT.

Conclusions:

• The 13C-acetate breath test (13C-ABT) provides reliable normal values for pediatric gastric emptying of liquids.
• The 13C-ABT is a well-accepted, non-invasive technique for evaluating gastric emptying in children.
• Established normal values aid in diagnosing and managing pediatric gastrointestinal motility disorders.