Get your full text copy in PDF

Introduction: The pathogenesis of functional dyspepsia (FD) is not fully recognized. Upper gastrointestinal tract motor abnormalities are listed among its numerous factors. Duodenogastric reflux (DGR) is also thought to be one of the causes of ailments occurring in these patients. Aim: The aim of this study was to estimate the usefulness of 24-hour gastric bilimetry in differential diagnostics of the clinical form of functional dyspepsia. Material and methods: The study comprised 40 patients with functional dyspepsia (mean age 33.4 ± 11.8 years): 20 with postprandial distress syndrome (PDS) and 20 with epigastric pain syndrome (EPS). FD was diagnosed in compliance with the Rome Criteria III. Other diseases and H. pylori infection were excluded in the examined patients. The 24-h measurement of gastric juice bilirubin concentration was performed with Bilitec 2000. All medications were discontinued 7 days prior to the investigations and on the day of the measurement the patients remained on standard fluid diet. The tested parameters were analyzed with POLYGRAM NET (Medtronic) software. Results: The fraction time of absorbance >0.14 in postprandial period was higher in PDS subgroup (p=0.031); the value of the tested parameter allowing to differentiate the patients from EPS and PDS sub-groups was 71.7%. Also the value of reflux indes in this period was higher in PDS sub-group than in EPS sub-group (p=0.002); the cut off point for both sub-groups was 14.2 refl/h. The remaining bilimetry parameters were similar in both sub-groups. Conclusions: 1. More intensified DGR is observed in patients with PDS in postprandial period in comparison to the group of EPS patients. 2. Determination of the fraction time of absorbance > 0.14 and of reflux index in postprandial period can be useful for differentiation of patients with PDS from those with EPS. (Clin Exp Med Lett 2009; 50(3):159-163)

Keywords: functional dyspepsia, duodenogastric reflux,, bilimetry