13 C-octanoid acid breath test and gastric emptying of solids

Gastric emptying is a highly coordinated mechanism which can be impaired in several functional and organic pathological conditions. Several studies have been published to demonstrate a relationship between a delayed gastric emptying and dyspeptic symptoms with conflicting results. Besides dyspeptic patients may also show an impaired gastric accommodation, gastric dysrhythmias, the presence of dysfunctions of central nervous system, or abnormal small intestinal motility. Scintigraphy has been considered the “gold standard” technique for measuring gastric emptying although an expensive equipment is needed and a significant radiation burden limits its application in children and fertile women. By these reasons breath tests with stable isotopes (13C) have been employed to assess gastric emptying of both solids and liquids, with the main advantage of a lack of radiation exposition. In particular, the octanoate breath test (OBT) has been used to measure gastric emptying of solids showing a good correlation with scintigraphy. We have organized a OBT study group with several scientific aims: ‐ To perform OBT in chronic pathological conditions such as celiac disease, obesity, pancreatitis, etc. ‐ To compare gastric accommodation and gastric emptying (by another substrate for liquids, 13C-acetate). ‐ To compare electrogastrography and OBT. ‐ To validate a new commercial meal (Expiroger, SOFAR, MI, Italy) versus scintigraphy. ‐ To obtain italian normal values for both meals (standard and Expiroger) by a large series of healthy volunteers. Our final objective is to create an interactive participation of specialized Gastroenterology Units.