308 CYCLIC SYMPTOMS IN PATIENTS WITH GASTROPARESIS: DIFFERENCES FROM NONCYCLIC PATIENTS UNDERGOING GASTRIC ELECTRIC STIMULATION.

Introduction Whereas most patients with the symptoms of gastroparesis (GP) have chronic symptoms, others have symptoms that are cyclic in nature. We investigated patients presenting with the symptoms of GP, most of whom underwent eventual placement of gastric electrical stimulation (GES), to see if patients with cyclic symptoms differed from those with No cyclic symptoms. Patients From a database of 345 consecutive patients seen, 48 patients (8 M, 40 F, mean age 41.5 years)-with the following diagnoses: 18 idiopathic, 27 diabetes mellitus, and 3 postsurgical disorders-presented with the symptoms of GP. Most patients were drug refractory and referred for possible GES. Patients were 35 (3 M, 32 F) with cyclic symptoms (Cyc) and 13 (1 M, 12 F) with no cyclic symptoms (NoCyc). Thirty-eight of 48 patients (25 Cyc and 13 NoCyc) underwent implantation of permanent GES, mean of 33 months. Results were compared by paired t -tests, baseline versus latest for GES patients, reported as mean ± SE. Results Cyc patients were similar to NoCyc patients with the exception of solid gastric emptying and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), both of which were more impaired in Cyc versus NoCyc patients. After GES placement (mean mo), the percentage improvement in all parameters (symptoms, GET, and HRQOL) was greater in Cyc than in NoCyc patients (Table). Conclusions Based on this sample, GP patients with cyclic symptoms respond better to GES than those with no cyclic symptoms. These preliminary results need confirmation in larger, prospective trials.